[Tags to
@Cheesigator ! ]
It was going to be a long day. The sun was at it's peak, and even with it's height, he remained lingering in the shadows between Piet's Apothecary and the Norther's Goods: Bakery and Sundries. The large buildings provided enough shade to keep him out of the main beam of light. He ate a small role of sweetbread, that had been dipped in caramel. It wasn't common for him to feast upon sweets like this one, but when he could afford it and when he came up here, it was nice to treat himself to something once in a while.
What was the harm? It wasn't like he could afford it back in Arca, and much of that was closed off ground. Anything he had for himself was taken in by someone else anyway. And there was no fun in sharing. So Crowe ate his sweetbread slowly and thoughtfully, enjoying it as he eyed the frame of the building around him. And eyed the street and the surrounding neighborhood.
Jobs away from homeground were troublesome, mostly since he had to pay quite a hefty share to the Mountain Cats. That and the further away he went meant fences were harder to come by. But a quick score, something small and light, could garner a pretty penny for himself. Jobs alone weren't recommended for anyone with half a brain; leaving Mountain Cat territory meant leaving back-up. Thankfully, Crowe had most of his brains.
He chewed the last of his sweetroll and licked his fingers clean. After that, he pulled out the small leatherbound book from behind his shirt, tucked just under the lip of his trousers and began to sketch. It wasn't exact artistry, but his lines were clean and his notes were legible to himself. Various markings on possible entranceways and exits, where guards were patrolling or posted, or stopped to take leaks or shags.
This town was nice, not too many whores trying to ply their wares, just one red-light manor down the road in a finely red-bricked building. Not much to be had there, but his friend Jann was rather good at giving him scoop on who or what might need a good robbing.
Crowe stepped out from the alley and looked up and around, carefully wrapping up the book with it's leather strip and knotting it before it placing it back in the compartment on his belt. He clicked the lock in place and put the old piece of chalk into his pocket. Jann would get a cut. There was an interesting pawn shop not too far around the corner of the baked goods shop, one that might not mind a few jewels lifted here and there.
What was more it had a back that led right through this alleyway. Might as well go check it out; there wasn't any point in wasting daylight.
Atashi looked around with her mismatched eyes shining bright and mischievously as she checked out the vendors in the marketplace. It was noon, time for everyone to go out and do all their shopping. The streets were a little crowded and bustling in some areas--perfect for assholes like her with sticky fingers to make a good profit.
Every person who shoved past her ended up with something missing off of their belt, or perhaps an entire pouch of coins missing. She pocketed it all with ease, and swiped an apple from a cart, taking a bite once she was a safe distance away as she enjoyed its tart and juicy flavor. Yeah, it was a nice day.
She ducked into an alley to look at the collection of things she had snagged that were now in the leather pouch fastened to her belt, and she grinned, taking another bite of apple. She'd snagged a hefty amount of coins, some rings, a... Was that what she thought it was? Yep. Yep she'd recognize that phallic structure anywhere. Looked brand new. That cost a pretty penny. She whistled. At least it was clean.
She looked up, catching movement and pressing herself against the stone wall as she closed the flap on her bag. Looked like some dude (she could use such big words) and he was writing in something. A mage, perhaps? She flashed her teeth in a grin, and as he moved she noticed him putting it back in the bag he wore at his waist.
He moved away and disappeared around the corner; using her years of learned stealth, she quickly ghosted through the alley and came out on the other side, her gaze finding him among the people. This street was pretty empty, it seemed. She glanced over at the property across the way; the guard finished taking a piss by the gate and moved on. She licked her lips. If that was a book of spells it'd be pretty easy to sell for a decent price to any idiot willing to believe what she told them.
She followed after him, and once she was close enough she stopped her act of looking like she was looking around the town to glance at the clasp on his bag. Might be a bit tricky, but nothing she hadn't accomplished before.
She picked up the pace to a jog, like she was running late for something; she called out a random name, in the hopes it might get his attention to hear someone yelling in the otherwise quiet street. If he started to turn around it'd be easier for her run into him, because she totally wasn't looking where she was going, wink wink, and in the confusion as she was shouting "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry, but I really have to go!" Her hands found the clasp and pulled the book from his bag, in one smooth movement hiding it in her coat as she tugged it around her like she was afraid of it slipping off as she continued to run away, calling out the name she used earlier and disappearing down an alleyway.
It wasn't like the street was overly crowded or anything. Crowe often kept to the side, rather than trying to part through the middle like he was some kind of mad bull, finding it easier to easily maneuver around the congealing bodies as the day grew longer. Hrm, well, it seemed they were content in finding things to do with themselves. He didn't seem any more out of place than they did. Good, then nobody would give him that long look he hated.
Side-eyed glances, overlong stares. It wasn't like he even looked that Adelan. Except maybe he did. He was a lot swarthier than most pale or albino looking Serenians. Bah, now was not a good time to get caught up on minor details.
The people on this side of the block were pretty sparse. So he was a little surprised when he heard someone else calling for another stranger behind him. He did turn to see who spoke, only to feel a body collide none too gently against him. He made a soft 'oof' sound and turned as the painted woman rounded away and skittered off. "Watch where you're fucking going," he growled as he watched her gain distance from him.
Except....something didn't feel quite right. Because strangers just didn't touch strangers. Not by accident. Not on a not crowded street. But, he didn't have anything readily exposed to take... Not unless. His hand slipped behind him to touch his belt. Everything seemed in place, except his....
"Fuck!" he hissed and abruptly turned to blurred form disappearing down an alleyway. Crowe didn't bother screaming for help. Guards were useless. And this woman just bought herself a world of hurt.
Bingo! She didn't hear the man's hiss under his breath of course, she was too busy inwardly squealing that that had been so easy, she couldn't have done it better herself!
Except, oh wait, she had! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
As soon as she was in the alley she stuffed the book in between her belt and her waist, she'd tuck it more carefully in her bag later, but right now she had to make damn sure she made a clean getaway, because that would just make her crow even more about her prowess and skill if she pulled this off without that dork noticing what hit him.
She jumped onto a few crates, hooking her fingers in the cracks of stones laid into a building and easily pulling herself up onto the roof, darting away to start parkouring her way, doubling back the way she came and keeping low to the rooftops as she ran, dropping down into a different alley several streets away. She was as nimble as a fish in the water, and like one she quickly threaded back into the crowds of people in the merchant area, pulling her hood up over her head to obscure her brown hair and face--just in case.
Now she just had to find someone dumb enough to sell this thing to, but first she had to get a look at it once she was sure she wasn't being followed.
But the dork did notice! And he was soon going to be right on her ass!
Or as close to her ass as he could presently get because for fuck's sake was she fast. Crowe turned swiftly down the alley after her, losing view after a few seconds. The alley was narrow however and relatively straightforward. If she wasn't on the other side, where else could she? She couldn't just disappear! Even mages left traces of where they'd been.
Only dust began to flutter down and small rocks that pat him on the head. The crates in the alleyway were nondescript, some open and some garbage stored away to be disposed of later. Had he just been bumped into by a ghost? Crowe shook his head of it, and when the dust finally landed on his head, he looked up and saw her vaulting up on the roof.
Crowe didn't waste any more time in leaping on the crates and climbing up after her. The grooves were harder to hold with thicker fingers, but he managed just fine... Only to see her fucking run off again! Man was she fucking fast. Any seconds longer and he'd lose sight of her in another alley.
"HEY!" he finally barked before she dropped. And she probably didn't even hear him! Crowe didn't bother going the way she came and instead followed alongside from above. A flip and an easy vault later and he was right above her in the market place. "Oh you put your hood up! How mysterious of you. You won't need that mystery because you're a dead woman. And you'll need someone to identify the corpse!"
He got ahead of the hooded figure, and pulled a knife from his belt. It was a long shot, but he was an eagle eye when it came to this sort of thing. He eyed the movement of the hood and threw the knife when he felt he had her in his sights and the knife flew in a flash of silver. And flew it did, right into the wood of the stall right next to her head!
Dammit! She was quick, but she wasn't quick enough it sounded like.
You know that instinct you get, that buzzing in the back of your mind when someone is yelling at you and you just know it's you they're yelling to? Yeah, she got that, right now.
She heard his voice over the crowd, and threw a quick glance over her shoulder, spotting him after a moment of searching--he was on the rooftops, too. She smirked.
Ah, so he wasn't exactly an innocent man, either, if he could climb up there so quickly and with such little hesitation.
But it wasn't like she hadn't done this kind of thing before, either. She grinned at him, the pearly whites of her teeth visible beneath her hood as she gave him a little wave and darted into the crowd, ducking low and weaving expertly in between the shopgoers, inserting herself quite neatly into a shop. Like a mouse into a hole, she disappeared from his sights yet again, where she quickly exited out the back, into the alley, and then went through the backdoor of the building next door, entering quickly and pausing a moment once inside, pressing herself into a nook somewhat hidden from view as she waited to see if he'd track her in here--chances were, probably not.
"Everything okay, miss?" A young barmaid asked, for she had ended up in a tavern it seemed. Atashi stared at the girl for a moment before letting out a sigh, feigned panic. "I'm hiding from my ex-boyfriend, he's crazy, he thinks I stole his book or something." The girl's eyes shot up, she glanced around quickly and leaned in, "Follow me!"
She led Atashi into the back where the workers could disappear, closed off from the public. "What's he look like?" Atashi described the man whom she had just stolen the book from and the girl nodded. "If I see him I'll tell him you went back out the front--in the meantime, go down this trap door," She tapped a heavy wooden door with her foot, which Atashi hadn't even noticed, "And follow the cellar, it leads out on the other side of the street, by the owner's house."
Atashi's face lit up brightly, she gave the girl a hug, thanked her, and did exactly what she was told. She didn't really like lying like that, but hey this was the situation that had been given to her. So, she was good, and made sure to keep her sticky fingers in her pockets as she hopped into the cellar and ran, coming out on the other side, checking that the coast was clear, and then hopping out onto the street.
A quick look around and she smirked, closing the door after herself. She was quite a ways away from where she'd last seen Idiot McStupidface, and in a completely different direction from where he'd seen her heading. Perfect.
She sidled up into a back alley and found herself in a nice little nook, underneath an archway set into an alley where the sunlight couldn't shine, keeping it nice and dark and cozy for her to remain undetected in her dark cloak as she took a look at her findings.
"... Drawrings?" She sputtered when she finally got to Idiot's pain-in-the-ass book. She rolled her eyes, letting it thump against her lap with disgust. "You've got to be kidding me." He sure as hell didn't look like an artist--then again, he didn't look like a mage either. Or a poet. Either way... Well, maybe it wasn't entirely a waste of time.
She looked at the book in her hands, chewing on her lip thoughtfully.
She might be able to convince someone it was the sketchbook of Leonardo Da Pinci, that famous artist she'd heard about. She tilted her head, looking at some of the drawings, nodding approvingly of this idea. Yes.
She was a great conman, she could do that no problem. She knew some nobles around here liked art.
Shit, SHIT, SHIIIIT!!!
But it was too bad curses were just not enough to curb the sickening feeling Crowe felt stirring inside of him. He was sure he was going to pass out from dizziness as panic began to set in. Forcing himself to focus wasn't easy and he searched the streets to and fro and saw where she disappeared to. And suddenly didn't come out of!
After five minutes, it was clear she was gone. Even if she had some odd plan of waiting him out. He had jumped down into the street and into the crowd and out to the building he thought she might have gone into. The old go-in-one-building-but-come-out-the-back-way trick was something he would have done - had done countless other times before.
But this time he was the mark.
Crowe leapt down and stepped toward the shop's rear entrance, unknowingly stepping over the trap door, stopped by the girl. "She went out that way! Came charging through here like a mad bull!" she quickly said.
Except he didn't even mention her and thought it rather odd she was readily offering her up. Instead he grabbed her by shoulders. "You saw her and you didn't stop her!? She's a Connlaothian spy! And she has the queen's diary! And you just let her go through here! People's lives are at stake!" he lied. "How could you do such a thing!?"
Blood vanished from her face. "S-she said you were her ex! You were crazy!"
"Do I look crazy to you?"
She stared at him, speechless.
"Just tell me where she went!"
"Uhhh! D-down! Down the door! By your feet!"
"You've saved Queen and Country, I'll make sure you're properly thanked."
And he disappeared.
By the time her former target had exited the underground cellar, Atashi was already back out in the streets a few blocks up, obscurred by the crowd just in time to catch a nobleman who was passing through with a few of his guards.
She managed to get his attention and keep it, long enough to convince him that this sketchbook was definitely something he needed. And by the time she was done, boy did he pay a pretty penny for it. She was a good liar, just as he was a good fool.
She hawked the rest of the goods she'd stolen, always doing it quick after she nabbed them so nobody could ever pin her down for it. She had learned WAY early on that it was best to never be caught with something somebody else was looking for.
She perched up on a rooftop after she was done, munching on an apple again--this one she'd paid for--as she watched the people, her purse full of coin and a day's job well done. She'd spend one more night here and then probably head out tomorrow morning, she figured. In the meantime, she just hoped that other guy--presumably another thief like herself--didn't find her again, cuz boy he'd be pissed.
Of course, Atashi could be clever but sometimes she didn't have any common sense. Like how she shouldn't have been sitting out in plain sight if she didn't want to be found.
It would be more than an hour before Crowe found himself on the streets again. He couldn't believe it. He'd been duped, and the woman was long gone and probably laughing her ass off. Or worse yet she was copying down everything he had written down in that book and using it for her own nefarious plans! He was the one that did all the hard work in scouting and mapping out the routes for scores.
He was stewing inside and he threw up not long after he came out of that cellar tunnel. There went that sweetbread. It was a shame too. Well, that would be the last time he would get to enjoy a creamy caramel sweetroll. Oh, he could still taste it too. Mostly the bile though.
The streets were long and winding, and every face resembled the tattooed face and her horrible cackle! And her slick hands! In any other time those would be reasons to look twice, but he had a feeling he was never going to see that book again.
It was as if she was there in the corner, sweeping her front stoop. Or same person eating that apple on the roof. He stared long and hard. And his entire body was surged in fiery rage. Crowe moved swift, maneuvering around the back of the building until he was atop the roof and soon behind the tattooed crone!
And he wasted no time in snatching her up by the shoulders and piledriving her into the rooftop ground.
This time, Atashi, made blind by her over-confidence, did not notice her former target there in the streets. No, she was too busy taking a delicious bite out of her apple, pointing and laughing at a guy who got brutally rejected by the girl he just confessed to. Shit, it was like she was watching a comedy play!
It was so comedic in fact, one could almost here the comical BONK sound effect as she was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders, lifted up and dropped onto her head.
It was so jarring and the pain was so sharp and sudden it knocked her silly.
Like it actually knocked her out.
She slid right off the roof and landed headfirst yet again into the crate of fruit below her, legs flopping over as she stuck straight out of the box, out cold.
Well Atashi, how's about them apples?
[Poor Atashi xD]
Crowe grunted like an ape - and probably smelled like one after going through that cellar - as he stepped over the side of the building and saw Atashi's limp body. Well, fuck now he killed her. Good luck getting his book back now! Oh, except he saw something twitch in there! Yeah, she wasn't dead. She'd most likely just got a little dazed by it, no harm done.
He made his way down toward the crates and stepped into the apple bin. "Get up!" he barked, reaching down to grab her by the legs. "You're fucking dead!"
Well, Crowe wasn't wrong in that he'd seen a twitch, but that was all he got. As he dropped into the bin next to her and grabbed her by the legs and pulled her out, he'd quickly come to find that no, she wasn't getting up any time soon.
She dangled there in his grip, completely limp and about as lively as a ragdoll, eyes closed.
It was okay though because in her head she was having great dreams of being crowned the empress of Ponyland and she was a pegasus with a unicorn horn and there were ponies all around her that were in a rainbow of colors! There was a blue one, and a pink one, and a blue one with rainbow hair, and some of them were wearing fancy dresses and hats and she had a crown and her first act as empress of Ponyland was having a pie eating contest with all of her royal guards and whoever won was to be the king to her queen!
She didn't like any of them though, she wasn't into horses. But the pie was delicious.
Ragdoll though she might be, Crowe wasn't going to take any chances. He was a Mountain Cat after all. You learned things like this the hard way when you had to kidnap and ransom. Spirits forbid a mark get loose. It didn't happen often, but when it did, well, embarrassing was just the start. If you managed to get hold of them again, maybe nobody had to know you were a fool. If they got loose and got killed, or got away, you didn't stay a Mountain Cat for very long.
Crowe thankfully was generally good about keeping people knocked out. And when they were, binding their arms behind their backs and cincing them nice and tight. Tattooed slick-handed woman, all tied up. He'd like to see just her wriggle her way out of that one, as his skill with knots was secondary to his ability to trace with charcoal.
And yet, he only had enough twine on his belt to make sure her arms were secured. And her legs would just have to be arm bound for now as he carried her over his shoulder, avoiding laying his head on her ass because of all the pain she'd caused him.
Oh she was still a dead woman. Maybe not here, but he knew he could find a place a little more secluded. Then she was double dead.
As Atashi slowly came to her senses, she became aware first of two things: First, she was no longer in Ponyland, and Second, she was tied up, and her head hurt really really bad. So maybe that was three things.
She groaned a little, raising her head enough to get a look around and she stared dumbly at the back of the guy who was carrying her, mismatched eyes slowly traveling up his body--no wait, back down, that was a nice ass he had there--back up to the back of his head.
"Hhhhey Slick I like guys who can pick me up," She said, her voice a little rough and her words a little messy, "But I'm not into bondage I think you have me confused for my twin sister." Yes, who also happened to have the same exact tattoos as you, Atashi. Brilliant. He would definitely buy that one.
She wiggled a little, testing her restraints and was able to determine he had muscular arms too. Hawt. Maybe if she wiggled enough she could reach far enough down to bite him in the ass because SHE WAS A PAIN AFTER ALL AHAHAHAHAHA she was so screwed.
Ha! Now she wanted to talk! And was still trying to be a smart ass about it too. Crowe had better instincts than to give her the time of day. She stole his book, made him run through a nasty, stinky cellar, and thought she could just get away with it! AS if nothing ever happened?!
"You're so fucking dead," he growled and immediately cursed himself. Shit. He wasn't supposed to say anything. Welp, it was too late for that now. The cat was out of the proverbial bag. Aaaand, he was nearing the street and forgot that he had her draped over his shoulder like she was a bag of potatoes. Fuck, and there was a sack right next to the crates!
Oh well, no point in going back now.
"Where's my book?" he asked plainly, trying to navigate through the alley as they reached the edge of the market. "And speak plainly the words you pick. They'll probably be your last."
Well sheesh, this guy was no fun. And she wasn't about to stick her hand down his pants to pull the stick out of his ass because apparently he liked it there. Well fine then.
He asked her where the book was and she stared at the ground for a moment. "Um." She said, eloquently.
"I sold it." She blurted, wiggling her wrists and realizing that she wasn't about to literally slide her way out of this one. He'd tied her up good.
But hey maybe if she could show him where it was he wouldn't kill her just yet.
"Stop wriggling," he hissed, trying to keep it together after just hearing that she sold the book. And his hand promptly followed with a hard slap to her ass.
That stick was generally pulled out when he was off duty. Which was supposed to be now until this wench came along and decided that he deserved a good robbing. He already lost his book, his lunch, and most of his dignity.
He paused by the alley's exit, seeing two guards patrolling down the street. He couldn't very well carry her the rest of the way without it looking worse. So Crowe set Atashi down on her feet and looped an arm around her arms so they could get through the crowd.
"Where did you sell it? And who did you sell it to?" He asked through clenched teeth.
The ass-slap was a pretty good wakeup call; it was more the sound that did it than the light stinging from the actual hit, but still. She let out a scandalous moan just to spite him.
Suddenly she was set down on her feet, and she threw a glare over her shoulder at him before they were moving again, his arm behind her preventing her from bolting anywhere. She couldn't exactly call the guards over either, all he'd have to do is tell them she stole his stuff and then she'd be in even bigger trouble.
She let out an exasperated sigh, head still throbbing from having the entirety of her body weight dropped on it earlier as she tried to remember.
"Uh, I think it was up a few more blocks. I don't remember the guy's name but if I see him I'll remember. Good luck getting it back though." And surprisingly she didn't say that to piss him off; her tone of voice was even, matter-of-factly. The buyer was a noble, this guy would have a lot of guards and security to get through and she wasn't sure either of them could have done it alone if they tried.
A few more blocks at her instruction, and Crowe kept his arm around her firm. He stared a little at her face, wondering how she got around looking like she did. A mess, and like she was used to traversing through sewers and the city's underbelly. Sooner or later someone would put her out of her misery.
It was when he saw the increased presence of guards that his stomach dropped. Yeah, good luck was right. The denizens here were much better dressed and stalked the streets with less of a beaten down look to them. The guards were much more friendly and clearly paying attention to what was going around them.
"Shit," Crowe hissed. "You sold it to a noble! Why!? Oh, nevermind! Which one is it!? Quickly! My patience is running thin, and we both stick out like smelly bums."
Had he voiced any of his rather rude opinions out loud, Atashi would've been quite confused--she had no idea what he'd have been talking about! Despite her headache, her eyes were still bright and she thought her tattoos looked quite cool thank you very much.
"Right here!" She announced as they entered the much more well-off part of town, and the thief who was shoving her around was rightfully concerned. Neither of them should have been anywhere near this area, because even with all the coin Atashi had in her purse right now the two of them didn't come anywhere close to making as much as these folks did.
She looked up at him at his question, frowning at him like he was stupid. "Well a'course I sold it to a noble, only they would have 'The appropriate taste and money for fine art such as this.'" She quoted in a hoity-toity nasally accent, perhaps mocking the man she sold it to earlier.
She started walking, tugging the thief along now behind her as she stuck her tongue out in thought, looking among the faces in the crowd to see if his face popped out to her.
"Uuuuuhhhhhhmmmmmmuuuuhhhhhhhh nope not him nope not that guy either--maybe he left--Oh!" She burst into a grin and tried to point with her finger like the ruffian she was, but her arms were still tied so she just started nodding with her head. "That guy! Going into the fancy house there!"
The nobleman in question was surrounded by a posse of guards, and the home he was walking into just so happened to be the same exact mansion that Crowe had been scouting out for his own dastardly plans earlier.
"Ahhhh that's a right shame there." She said, still grinning. "That is going to be really hard to get into. Want some help?" She beamed at him.
In her attempts to find the man she sold it too, and making them look even more awkward and out of place, Crowe kept his eyes peeled, narrowing them only when he saw the man walking up the stairs and with the group of guards at his side. And with that Crowe's jaw dropped. He stared for a good long while until Atashi spoke to him again.
He scowled at her, face burning with rage. Fuck if he wanted to slit her throat then and there. At any other time that might have been a perfectly justified and logical decision. But in the middle of the street with guards more attentive, and giving him dirty looks at it were, it wasn't exactly a viable choice. Oh she was still double dead. Except now, it was triple dead.
Crowe gave a grunt, yanked her off from the street and dragged her along with him, steaming, fuming. SHe might practically see the smoking coming from his ears. "You know! You're very lucky. Very lucky. You just saved your own life, Stripes. Because that book you stole....had plans. And good ones to potential loot, you fuckbrain, and now it's out of both our hands. HRRRRRNGH!"
He turned her around and loosened the knots on her wrists. "I'm getting it back. You better get the fuck out of here!"
You know, this guy, of all people, she thought she'd get at least a more interesting reaction than the one that she did, but no all she got was the blood rushing to his face making him look like his head was going to explode. She tilted her head a little. Maybe his eyeballs were popping out a lil, that was kinda funny.
She was yanked with an admirable amount of force off the street, dragged behind the other thief into an alleyway, and she honestly figured if he was going to kill her it would've been right there and then. But instead he just... Threw a little temper tantrum and loosened the ties on her, which she quickly yanked her hands out of, holding them in front of her and flexing her fingers before she looked up at him.
Well at least his temper was warranted, from the sounds of it. It had been more than just a sketchbook huh? Well that explained that sketch of the guy's house she sold it to in there. Must've been layout plans to figure out how to get in.
She put her hands on her hips, pursing her lips and thinking for a moment.
"By yourself? You'll die trying!" She said, brows furrowing. "Look if you're gonna get that thing back you'll need some help; I didn't realize you were a thief too yknow, otherwise I wouldn't'a grabbed it." She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning while she thought.
"Let me help you get it back, s'the least I can do since I caused ya so much trouble--maybe if we work together we can get more than just your book back, yeah?" She suddenly grinned, the prospect of adventure intriguing her almost more than the loot itself. She didn't really want the treasure they could procure anyways, she was good enough at getting that herself, considering she'd already been paid for the book--nah, she just wanted some good ol' rootin' tootin' fun robbing a rich person, and hey she'd maybe be making good by this other guy while she was at it!
She just thought she could offer her help and then everything would be peachy keen, even? That wasn't how this worked. He lost something he worked hard to accumulate over time, months of planning and note-taking and it was just taken away from him like that. Oh-ho-ho-ho, no. She owed him in more than trying to volunteer for a job.
"This is all your fault to begin with! I was happy! And then you just had to slip your hand where they didn't belong, you rat," he hissed. He growled and grit his teeth and grabbed her up by the collar of her shirt. "You didn't care so long as you got your gold. Speaking of which." He reached down and plucked the coin purse from her belt.
"Whatever was earned from that sale is now mine. Rightful owner and all that," he muttered and stepped back to help himself to her gold, taking what he felt was an adequate amount in compensation. "Here," and slammed the purse back into her hands. "Now you still owe me. Drinks. Now. And you're buying. You have to be useful for something other than being a pain in my ass. And you stink. Take a bath, Stripes, because your sweaty ass got all over my shirt."
And with that he shoved her toward the tavern at that district's edge. The Lovely Little Locksmith was an interesting name for a bar, and coming in from he side-entrance only garnered one or two odd looks from their respective patrons. But they were still on their side of town.
Well, she wouldn't argue that point--it was her fault, yes. But he grabbed her by the collar and she threw her hands up in surrender.
"Oi oi oi! If it had been me I'm pretty sure you might've done the exact same thing, you ain't any more of a saint than I am!" A thief was a thief--money was all either of them cared about, though Atashi cared about adventuring a little more. Not by much though.
"Hey!" She snapped as he stole her purse off her belt. "Not all of that was from your book, ass!" She resisted the urge to kick him for good measure, instead just pouting as he handed back the purse and tried not to punch him for making it so much lighter. All that coin... Just gone... It wasn't her fault he was stupid enough to let something get stolen so easily!!
"I owe you? She sneered, taking her purse back and putting it back on her belt before looking up at him, mouth open. "Excuse me?! You smell like a horse's ass! I probably made your shirt smell better!"
Despite her protests he shoved her into a tavern and she didn't bother fighting it too much--she could use the drink as much as this guy probably could, to be honest. So they got a seat at the bar and she, begrudgingly, put her coins down on the table and ordered rum, downing the mug of it in one go as it was placed in front of her on the counter.
... Maybe she shouldn't have done that. Angrily drinking quickly out of spite. All she'd eaten today were apples and she was a lightweight. Oops.
"I bought the drinks so you should be the gentleman and pay for my room then if you think I stink so bad." She sneered, sticking her tongue out at him like a child, totally acting like there was nothing wrong here and she wasn't about to get pretty goofy here in the next ten minutes.
It wasn't even about weights and measures. It was the principle of the whole thing. You don't rob another thief, get caught, and think everything would be criss-cross applesauce because you offered to right the wrongs. She didn't know just how lucky she was! If any other Mountain Cat caught her, she'd be splayed all over that alley wall, made a proper example of.
Hrmm, maybe Crowe would still kill her. Tomorrow, after all, was a whole new day. For now, he'd get a drink out of her and a room! Because....principles.
He ordered a rum just like her and by the time he even wrapped his hand around the mug's handle hers was already slamming down on the counter, completely empty. He stared at her, eyes wide and he grunted, a little irritated. She was trying to show him up, huh? What the hell for? Because he leveled out her gold.
Crowe drank his rum too, taking his time a little more than she did, but he didn't drop the mug down onto the counter until it was completely empty and he gestured to the bartender. "Another please. This is good stuff," he said with a grin and another rum was slid across the way toward him.
"I'm no gentleman, and you're not a lady. I'll pay for ONE bath. Mine, and you can use it when I'm done. It'll be a lot cleaner than yours that's for sure." He drank his rum a little slower this time, long thoughtful swigs though and kept a surreptitious eye on her mug. "So, how long you been in the business, Stripes? You're fast, I'll give you that. But your tricks are stale, much like your breath."
She stared at him as he ordered another rum, watched him drink it before that fiery temper of hers reared its ugly head again.
"Another rum for me as well." She announced, and when one was brought to her, she downed it like she had the last, staring at Crowe out of the corner of her eyes.
She set the empty mug on the counter, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Fine. I call the bed." She retorted, flagging down the bartender when he had a chance and getting... Another rum, drinking that one a little more slowly now that she was ahead. "Well my stale tricks worked just fine on a simpleton like you so I guess you're just getting old. I been doing this for ten years." She said, puffing out her chest a little.
"Name's Atashi, but you can keep calling me Stripes if it helps your ego feel a little better." She flashed him a grin.
Huh! HAH! HAHAHAHAHA!
Oh she was going to keep butting heads with him when he clearly was the superior thief. She duped him once, he wasn't going to let it happen again. Obviously he wouldn't have any real control over when she did it, it would just give him another reason in the bank to kill her. He made it seem as if he didn't care that she drank her second rum in one go again.
Although he may have growled a little too loudly as he drank his own again. The drink was good, but he could use some food and he soon found a plate in front of him with some mashed potatoes bread and a chicken, roasted and spiced. He grinned and picked at his food as another rum was brought to him.
"You can say what you want, Ah-tah-sheee," he hissed, loathing on the name. "Crowe. And you can't just call dibs on the bed! It's the floor for you, like any dog."
"I'm not a dog!" She instantly argued, though for a second she stared at his plate a little hungrily and thought of potentially stealing a piece of chicken and stuffing it in her mouth before he could get it just to spite him.
Her stomach growled.
She blushed and looked away, drinking down her rum like it was a good substitute, which it was not.
"You called the bath so I call the bed, fair and square." She said with a huff, before giving in to temptation and getting herself some food, gnawing on a turkey leg ravenously. Maybe this would help stave off her inevitable drunkness a little bit longer, though she could already feel her head getting fuzzy.
"At least I'm not named after the dumbest, most annoying bird on the planet!" She said as she tore off a piece of of the meat.
What a big stupid oaf, here she was so honorable and nice to offer him her help instead of just running away like any other run-of-the-mill shitty thief would have done. She was even listening to him and paying for his drinks! He was stupid, and dumb, and annoying, and stupid! She finished her rum and took her anger out on her turkey leg, resisting the urge to gnaw on the bone, because then he really wouldn't let the dog thing drop and she knew it.
She was one drink on him, but she was going to drink and eat herself under the table. Crowe wasn't trying to make it obvious, but he was watching how she was just chugging down the rum and tearing into the turkey leg like it was the last meal she would ever have. Ha, which it probably was. She smelled and probably didn't eat much like any other hungry transient.
"No, you're just naturally dumb and smelly like any vagrant," he mumbled and laughed as he scooped up a spoonful of potatoes and ate it. He had finished the chicken and drank another mug of rum, taking his time to spite her.
"So ten years of scrounging and jumping around. What has that gotten you, Atashi? Any other skills that makes you more useful beyond barroom banter? Because, I think you may have been dropped on the head as a youngin'."
She just rolled her eyes at his insults. So far, none of them really hurt her, she was just stubborn and fiesty--but when he asked her what ten years of this life had gotten her, she paused, turkey leg in her mouth as she blinked, before she set it down slowly on her plate.
Her mind was fuzzy yes but not fuzzy enough, not for that question.
Because he was right, what had it gotten her? What was she doing with her life?
Suddenly she didn't feel so hungry or thirsty anymore, and she wiped off her mouth on the back of her hand, letting out a soft exhale as she rested her chin in her hand, elbow on the counter.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Her answer was surprisingly honest; there was something in her tone of voice that suggested she was thinking of other things, things she likely wouldn't talk about. Her friend. Her family, left behind in Connlaoth. It made her gut queasy just thinking about it. Her friend had had so much going for her, she was already apprenticing under one of the best seamstresses in town, she had a career--all Atashi had ever been good for was getting into trouble. She had wanted to be a soldier but her mother had always told her the idea was a silly waste of time, kept trying to stuff her into dresses; she'd hoped for Atashi to marry a noble. What a stupid idea. Atashi, marrying anyone at all? What a joke.
She tried to swallow the negative feelings in her throat that felt like a lump but they didn't go anywhere. She just forced a grin, forced a laugh.
"I probably was dropped on my head, so what of it? Not like you came outta your mom a great thinker yourself!"
If he touched a nerve, he had no idea. Crowe noticed she went quiet for a little bit, even her face seemed to have changed. But he just assumed the rum and that turkey leg were having a disagreement in her belly. She seemed steely enough to take it though.
Crowe grunted and chanced a look at her. "I guess so. I wouldn't know. She didn't stick around long enough for me to find out," he shrugged. He was done with the food and downed another long swig of his rum and shuddered as his food settled.
"I guess the interview can continue up in the room. That is if you can make it up the steps and don't topple over right now.". He gave her a teasing wink and carefully stood up from the bar after paying for a room.
At a place like this, thankfully baths were included. And when he opened the door, the room was dingy with a rickety cot and a large basin on the far right, covered by a moth-eaten partition.
Atashi let out an outright guffaw, snorting as she shook her head and grinned, the rum having worked its way a little more through her now and doing its job of easing away her anxieties. It also gave her a rather becoming blush.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I've had more than this before this ain't nothin'." She insisted with a cheeky grin as she slid off her bar stool and almost fell on her face on the floor--the only way she was able to save herself was by grabbing onto a man sitting nearby, pulling herself up with her iron clutch on his jacket and muttering a quick "Sorry sorry--" As she hurried to follow up after Pigeon--Raven. Whatever he said his name was.
She tried to count the stairs as they went up and she was still counting them even as they crossed the threshold into their room, stopping only once she'd run into Crowe's backside which forced her to look up. Another grin and she streeeetched her arms upward as she waltzed in and flopped right down on the bed, which creaked rather dangerously from the sudden weight.
"Ahhhh called it. Touched it first. Called. Mine." She rolled over onto her stomach, face down on the dirty sheets. It felt great. She might just pass out before she could take a bath--nah, no that was no fun.
She propped herself up on her elbows, still laying on her stomach as she looked up at Crowe, pointing at the tub. "Could probably sleep pretty comfy in there, yeah?" She grinned deviously. "Hope yer not too shy, now.~"
Crowe flicked a brow when Atashi just waltzed passed him and lounged on the bed like it was nothing at all. He could appreciate the boldness, just taking something and claiming it as yours like that. But still, he couldn't say he wasn't irritated. But the rum certainly curbed his temper a little more. Just another reason to kill her later.
Maybe tomorrow. For now he was grimey from that slimey tunnel and so he just made a grunt at her and closed the door behind him. "I ain't shy!" he blurted out. "I don't have anything to hide. But I'm bathing first before I kick your ass out of that bed. It'll make things easier." He made a rude gesture with his hand before stepping behind the partition and undressing, making sure to keep his things folded up on the side opposite the bed.
He poured the water into the small basin and gently sat in it. It was cold, but hot water was extra. He grabbed the scrub brush, soap and foamed it up until it was plopping all over and he began to scrub up. He was thankful for the partition, even if there were holes in it. Pffft, it wasn't like he was shy!
He just didn't like people staring at him was all.
All Atashi could think to do was the most effective thing she was capable of at the moment really--she stuck her tongue out at him, pulling down her lower eyelid and making a funny face at him. He could eat a big dick for all she cared, she'd claimed the bed, so it was hers.
"If I lick it I bet you won't want it anymore." She sneered, "Shy boy.~"
And yet for now all she did was rest her chin in her hands, lazily kicking her feet behind her as she laid there on her stomach, only able to glimpse flashes of movement through the moth holes. Maybe if she went to sleep he wouldn't bother kicking her off the bed--no, wait, no. It'd already been established he could carry her like a sack of potatoes so no, she needed to be awake to fight for it, dammit!
Except her curiosity got the best of her and she grinned, sliding off the bed, still surprisingly silent as she crept across the floor, sneaking around behind him and staying low enough he wouldn't immediately see her over the edge of the tub unless if he looked, and then riiight as she was behind his back, she jumped up and yelled "BOO!"
The only problem with her genius plan was that she forgot to account for how much she'd had to drink, and how difficult it was to suddenly stand when full of said drink and your legs forget how to work properly. As a result, she lost her balance and fell on him, no doubt causing a huge splash if he didn't stop her in time.
"... Whoops."
Finally a moment of peace before he had to deal with the throbbing headache he knew he was going to have later. And then there was the hangover from the rum to be had in the morning. That would be a welcome relief.
It wasn't even that he was trying to be a sourpuss, but it was a little hard to be friendly with the same person that just robbed you and made off with a rather valuable personal item. Not to mention sold it! Hrrrgggnh! He made a fist and scrunched up the loofa sponge, and threw it into the water. The splash was stirring and he kept himself firmly locked on the task of bathing.
It was the principle of the matter, establishing boundaries early was important to a-
"WUUUAGH!" And that was the sound Crowe made when he lurched forward and felt Atashi's body collapsing onto his. Thankfully he was slick enough he was able to turn so that she fell into his lap instead. Crowe was part dizzy from the impact and he tried to push her off a little.
"Hey!! I said aaafter I was done," he half-slurred. Crowe scowled and hefted her up the shoulder, pulling her to get her more situated enough and began scrubbing the sponge all over her face and hair.
She had successfully startled him, and also successfully landed herself into the tub kind of head-first. As she scrambled, limbs flailing to find purchase on the sides of the tub--she'd heard lots of horror stories about mean drowning in puddles when they were drunk, she was not going out like that, dammit!--he shoved her further in. He was trying to drown her! That was taking a joke a little bit too far!
Finally she managed to flip herself right-side up, gasping and coughing as she came up for air, and then she had a sponge filled with soap and dirty water in her face. As if her clothes weren't soaked enough already.
She gagged and swatted at him like a child, shoving her hand in his face and pushing herself off of him, falling out of the tub onto the floor as gracefully as she fell in. There was now water all over the floor, and she was thoroughly soaked. And she had soap in her eyes. IT BURNS. IT BURNS!!!
She found a towel--his towel--and started madly drying her face off, trying to get the stinging in her eyes to go away, but now she was at a permanent squint, eyes bloodshot as she glared at him.
"Tryna' drown me, I swear." She grumbled, too drunk to actually get mad about it. "Yer a terrible man. Terrible. And your dick is small." She lied, like she'd actually seen it.
"Hey! You were trying to pounce on me!" he exclaimed as he got out of the water, dripping suds, soap, and water. He sorta covered up, or tried to. It was pretty chilly in here, and even he didn't want to be the subject of a shrinkage joke. He shivered and quickly moved out of the tub, tip-toeing along the way and snatching the towel from her to wrap around his body.
"Look, you wanna get in the water so bad, it's all yours! I'm all done, Stripes. I mean, if you wanted to get a peek, all you had to do was ask," he muttered as he piled up his clothes and went around toward the bed, setting them on the side. Roughly he dried himself off and dried off his hair in the process. It felt good to be clean at last again. Even if it had only been for a few minutes.
"You touched it anyway."
He eyed her from the side and then down to his groin, and winked at her before throwing his underclothes and trousers back on.
"NnnnnNO I was trying to scare you, shitless, there's a difference." She huffed as he got out, realizing now it was her turn as she grinned and started stripping, rather shamelessly, in front of him, tossing her clothes to the side and sliding right on in with a happy sigh, already adjusted to the water temperature thanks to getting dunked in it earlier.
Her body, for as briefly as he saw it, was quite lithe, though she really didn't have any tits to speak of, and was covered in a myriad of scars and the same geometric tattoos that lined her face and neck, in fact she was literally inked from head to toe. Some people might find it exotic, others might say it barbaric.
She stuck her tongue out at him when he winked at her.
"Gross I didn't mean to do that."
She set to work scrubbing now, not bothered in the slightest by the already murky water that'd have had any privileged or spoiled person gagging. Water was water to her, what did she care? It was cold though, so she didn't take too long before she got out and toweled off, giving him quite a nice view of her nice ass as she looked at him over her shoulder.
"I still call the bed so chop chop, get your ass off it."
Yeah he was looking. And even if he tried to hide it, the room was way too small for it to be any less obvious. He was casually trying to sit on the bed when he watched her from the corner of his eye and let his vision rove down the tattoos along her body. They were certainly well-detailed pieces of art. Even he could appreciate that, although he wasn't going to tell her that.
He sat on the bed, rolling up the ends of his pants and rolling over to shift toward the wall. Yes, a lovely ass indeed. Again, not going to tell her that, the wench!
"Make me," he mumbled, as he closed his eyes. "There's no use in fighting, it so either get your ass on the other half of the bed, or sleep on the floor. You're clean now, so you're allowed on the bed. Even if you don't deserve it. You made that mess too, so you should probably clean up the water tub."
He sighed and shifted so that he got comfortable, even taking the blanket and covering himself.
Atashi was either unaware he was looking, or just didn't give a shit (hint: it was the latter) while she finished drying off. Normally she'd have slept naked if she was staying in a room like this, because that was more comfortable to her, but for she had company and he had clothes on, so for his sake more than hers she put on her shirt and breeches again, pausing a moment to stare at the space he left on the bed before she grinned and climbed right on in. Heh, good enough!
She paused a moment again though, slowly pulling the covers over herself as she looked over at him with a frown.
"How do I know you won't kill me when you wake up?" She asked, an honest question.
Regardless what his answer was, she realized she couldn't trust him either way.
Well, that was fine with her! So she rolled over, back to him as she got comfortable and let out a content sigh, beds were so nice, she'd almost forgotten how nice they were. She wondered what it must be like to have a house so you could sleep in your own bed every night. Well, she'd had a bed when she was a kid at home, yeah, but to own your own house was a different beast altogether.
It probably sucked. Oh well. Time for sleep.
Grumbling something when she laid down, Crowe let himself stay sort've squashed against the wall. There wasn't much room to be had on the bed to begin with. He didn't mind sharing it either because he sure as hell wasn't going to be sleeping on the floor. She had a big butt anyway, and her head was shoved up it.
He laid his head further into the pillow, where they laid back to back and somewhere in the night he had strew his body across hers, and had his head laying on her belly and feeling the warm breath streaming from her face. Man did it stink. Like the remnants of rum and turkey. It wasn't a pleasant smell.
And it stirred him, and reminded him of the throbbing headache he had when the time to wake up arrived. Crowe groaned and scrambled away from her. "Blech," he said, and shoved her out of the bed. "It's time to get up."
Crowe would find that Atashi slept like a goddamn rock, and only snored sometimes! But the two of them were soon out cold enough that he probably didn't even hear her for most of the night. Probably.
He wasn't the only one who had no issues getting physical while sleeping; at one point she had rolled over, wrapped her arms around his mid-section and spooned him, before rolling back over so he could use her like a pillow and eventually wake up.
She was still dead asleep when he suddenly shoved her and she hit the floor with a solid THUD. She snorted and drowsily opened her eyes, finding her face against the bug-eaten rug and slowly sitting up with a yawn and a stretch as she scratched her head, her hair a rat's nest even in its ponytail, and looked around.
"... Hey, the fuck? I was sleeping." She grumbled, squinting against the morning light starting to filter in through the window as she climbed back up into the bed and made it a point to drop herself right on top of him as payback for pushing her.
"S'sleepytime." She mumbled, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
What in the serious rum-induced mania was she doing? Crowe was still too drowsy and trying to fight off his throbbing headache, she just flopped on top of him and he slumped back and had the breath heaved out of him.
Man was she heavy. Pfft, because sleep and hangovers always made a person heavier. It was basic science after all. Crowe just groaned and in truth he didn't wanna get up either, but they were going to waste the day if they didn't get up now.
Not to mention her hair was in his face. He blew hard raspberries and shifted her hair off him so he could speak. "You know if you lay on me, I'm going to get a semi," he huffed. "Atasheeee!" He tiredly pushed on her shoulders and let his arms slump backwards. "Are you... You're asleep!?" That was bloody fast.
He lifted her head up by the sides of it and blew his morning breath in her face.
Yep, Crowe wasn't wrong. She was mostly already asleep again.
He complained he'd get half a hard on and she just groaned in response, too tired to formulate a proper sentence along the lines of 'well build a bridge and get over it' because fuck words, she had a headache, he was pretty comfortable and that was really all she cared about right now.
So back to sleep she went.
At least until he forcibly lifted her head up and blew in her face.
She scrunched her nose up and jerked back a little at the sudden stench, cursing before she found his face, put her hand on it and shoved him away so he was blowing air to the side and not directly at her.
"Ew that's gross get that away from me." She grumbled, and unfortunately now his plan had worked because she'd been moving around enough she was starting to wake up.
She sat up, her weight shifting down directly onto his hips where she sat, straddling him, as she took her hand away from his face to reach up and rub her own face and wipe the sleep out of her eyes, grunting.
"Ugh what time is it.." Her head hurt and she still just wanted to go back to sleep. Guy was a jackass, pushing her out of bed.
Yeah, maybe he was a jackass to push her out of bed. To be fair he was used to sleeping on his own. And she was irritating like an ass rash. Except worse because she could speak. Still, that aside, they had a mission to formulate and the task of getting his book back to execute.
Crowe could only partly remember what he wrote down and tried to imagine his sketchings from where they had looked upon the noble. But damn if security didn't look too tight.
Crowe pushed her off again, but gentler this time so he could sit up, scratch his groin and shift off to go get food. His stomach was growling something fierce and he could use a hot coffee to soothe his head.
"If you want free breakfast, you're going to have to get up and come downstairs." He rubbed his eyes and glared at her expectantly. "Come on. We gotta find a way to get into the estate. I think better on a filled belly."
This time Atashi didn't complain as he pushed her off' she obliged and let him climb out of the bed, rubbing her face tiredly as she pulled her hair out of her ponytail. Her brunette hair was surprisingly incredibly long--in its high ponytail it went to the middle of her back, out of it it went down to her ass.
She bared her teeth in a mocking sneer at him while he glared at her, as she combed her fingers through her hair.
"Yeah alright alright, gimme a minute."
Whether or not he stuck around, she got her hair mostly back under control, back into its ponytail and quickly threw the rest of her clothes back on, so she was ready to go at a moment's notice once they were done eating. The whole ordeal maybe took her five minutes, and then she was downstairs, ready to fill her belly with whatever they had available so they could get this show on the road.
"So what was your original plan for getting into this place, remember?" She asked in a low voice as she munched on some bread, tilting her head at him curiously. At least she was smart enough to know not to speak too loud, in case anybody who worked for or knew the noble happened to be around.
"I saw a few good spots," Crowe said, sipping the bland coffee they served here. It would do for now. And he could feel his head slowly recovering from the pounding. "Namely the balcony above the terrace. Could climb up it, given someone is distracting the guards below."
"The security looks like it's a bit snug though. Could knock out a few and take their clothes. But I'm sure the frilly bastards knows his own guards.". Sighing and cutting into his eggs, Crowe ate quietly for a moment before stealing Atashi's bread.
"What about you? Got any ideas you wanna throw out there?" And ripped the bread between his teeth.
Unlike Crowe, Atashi had yet to reach the point in her adulthood where alcohol tore her up so badly. She felt a little groggy, but that was probably just from a crappy night's sleep if anything.
She nodded thoughtfully as she tried to remember what the mansion had looked like, or what little she'd seen of it yesterday anyways, while she ate her pot pie.
"I'm usually pretty good at distractions." She offered with a shrug, before he stole her bread and she snapped at him, "Hey!" And tried to swipe it back, before grabbing his cup of coffee (despite the fact that she already had her own) and quickly downed the rest of it and slammed the empty cup down by his plate, for revenge.
"I mean I'm always partial to trying to sneak in because that's what I'm good at," She huffed, glaring at him for stealing her food as she ate a little faster to finish her food before he could steal any more of it. "Usually through some servant's entrance or something. I betcha he don't know what his own servants look like, they usually don't. And they can get in just about most places without anyone caring. Can steal their uniforms lots easier too."
The revenge coffee drinking was met with nothing more than a glare. Crowe was not in the mood for this shit, so he didn't see why he should make it worse. Not at all thinking that it might have had something to do with stealing her bread. That was all he stole thankfully and finished his food without another hiccup.
Except for the hiccups he now had. Crowe growled and grumbled like a grumpy bear until the hiccups settled.
"Gotta give you props. I didn't think you had any kind of brains in there. But they're there," he said and poked her skull. He stood and brushed off his shirt. "That's better than my idea. We're doing that. And it'd be funny to see you try and act dainty. Let's get out of here."
She grinned to herself as she finished her food, pride swelling in her chest because she'd beat him yet again--last night was totally a victory by her standards. She'd beat him at drinking and won his little tiff over the food. Hah!
She stared at him as he hiccuped, leaning a bit away from him. If he was getting sick with something she certainly didn't want to catch it, gross.
He gave her credit for being smart and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Obviously I have brains, because I was able to convince that noble to buy your stupid book in the first place." She pointed out, shoving the last piece of bread into her mouth as she followed suit and got up as well. "I dunno I think you might look better in a maid's dress than me, ya got the petty attitude of a woman that's for sure." She said as she started snickering, her snicker being a rather unique shishishishi.
At least the inn they'd stayed at wasn't too far from the noble's house, but it was definitely going to be quite a walk to find their way around to the backside of the property and try and weasel their way in through a back door to the servants' quarters. The real trick was getting through the guarded fence up to the estate without being spotted.
"Did you pay any attention to the guards?" She asked as the noble's mansion came into view, guards standing outside looking bored as hell. "They have any patterns maybe?" After all, he'd been the one observing them and this place--if he'd done his homework good enough, he'd be the one to lead them to getting inside here.
He'd gotten a good look all right. He'd even mapped out the plans and exits and entrances and where booby-traps might best be lain, where guards could be hidden in case of a scuffle. all of it was written down in his journal, coded even, although the lines in his strokes might be easier to read than his handwriting.
Crowe growled a little, but refused to linger on any further grumpiness. Now was the time for action.
He slowed as they walked to make their appearance all that much more casual and pointed up to the wall on the side of the manor. "A guard usually walks the wall and there's a changing of station every twenty minutes or so. It takes the guard right here at this post two minutes to walk from one end to the other. I counted. Yes I can do that."
He gestured up to the side of the manor beside the noble's that possessed his book. "There's a tree there that can drop off down just over the wall and into the small set of brush just beside the post. My guess is, now would be a good time to start climbing."
He gestured for her to go first since she was slightly smaller and a little swifter than he., to scale the loosened and haphazard bricks of the side-manor, hidden by a tree just between the two houses. He jumped when the moment presented itself and landed adeptly within the boughs. It was a large oak, old and gnarled and overhung some of it's branches just across the wall as he'd said.
He didn't wait much longer until the guard had his backed turned before he silently dropped down into the bushes on the other side.
Atashi made sure to listen carefully as he explained what he had learned about this lord's mansion as they walked past it, speaking in hushed tones while also trying not to look too suspicious. She looked up as he pointed to a certain wall, eyes peeled as she took in what he was saying and nodded with a certain seriousness to her that almost seemed uncharacteristic. They were here to do a job and they were gonna get it done and do it well if she could help it.
But then he made that comment about counting and she stopped for a moment, mocking a gasp of surprise as her hand went up to cover her mouth. "You can--you can do that!?" Another gasp, aaaand "Ohhhh look at you! Who's such a good wittle boy who knows how to use his big boy words and numbers ohhhh you are! Yes you are!" Her tone was dripping with sarcasm as she spoke to him like she was either talking to a dog or a small child.
She jumped up the wall first as he indicated and sprang up into the branches with nimbleness that left him in the dust, scurrying in the tree like a goddamn squirrel, but she let him pass her as he dropped into the bushes. She waited a moment, making sure the guard wasn't suspicious of anything before she followed suit, crouching amidst the leaves of the bushes as she perched next to Crowe, still with that stupid smirky grin on her face as she peered out from the bushes. They had successfully made it into the property now but getting into the mansion itself might present itself to be even more difficult.
She blinked however when some movement caught her eye. She saw a servant, wearing the tunic with the noble's crest on it, carrying a sack of flower as she walked around the corner of the mansion and disappeared. Hm. Service entrance perhaps? If she had a dog ears and tail they'd have definitely been standing straight up and alert right now.
Atashi was about to start sprinting after the girl before she thought first and looked at Crowe, figuring he should still lead the way until they got inside, considering there were guards on the inside of the fence, patrolling the perimeter of the mansion itself. He wouldn't appreciate it if they got caught, and neither would she to be honest. So, better be smart about this, even if she hated letting him have control for now.
Crowe didn't voice it, but he had seen what she'd seen and he nodded to her when they're eyes met. A service entrance was a better way of getting in than chancing it with an open window and risk getting caught by a family member. Or worse, the nobleman himself. Crowe kept where he was, out of sight just when the guard came back to his post, not seeming to notice them.
The man at his perch took a seat and shuffled into his clothing to find a smoke to roll, licking a paper slick and powdering tobacco into it and rolling it up between his fingers. Crowe patted Atashi on the shoulder and gestured her to go first when the way was clear. He immediately followed and moved toward a stack of ingredients that were being carried inside by queues of servants.
Crates and baskets and sacks of potatoes. Crowe picked up two crates and set them into Atashi's arms and took potatoes himself and immediately ushered himself inside, or was about two when the girl that first walked bumped headlong into him. Crowe staggered into the tiled wall beside him. "Shit!" he hissed.
"I'm so sorry," the girl squealed. "I didn't think anyone else was here to help me with the shipment. Please, take that right into the kitchens into the pantry. Just straight ahead." She smiled toothily at him. "It's nice to finally have two big strong hands around." She moved passed the pair.
Crowe looked behind him at Atashi, and snorted, admiring her own build. And gave her a wink of approval.
For a moment, Atashi wasn't sure if she should have been as surprised as she was when Crowe signaled for her to go on ahead, and she narrowed her eyes at him, a little suspicious. Did he trust her, or did he want her to get shot at first?
Probably the latter.
Still, no point in trying to argue the matter--she'd wanted to be in the lead anyways, because she was damn good at stealth. She peered out from their momentary hiding spot, looking all around to watch the guards before she darted out, clearing the space to the service entrance easily, with Pigeon right behind her.
She blinked and watched him curiously as he picked up some crates before she caught on, and just as she was about to reach for some much lighter, smaller-looking packages, two crates were stuffed into her arms by her companion and she let out a slight sigh of defeat. Man, couldn't a girl catch a break? Not that these were that heavy, nor was she that weak, but she'd have liked to take an easy option just for once--
She heard Crowe swear and tried to rubberneck around the crates to see what had happened--he'd run into a servant girl. She watched the girl go back inside and caught Crowe's look and wink, and rolled her eyes before quickly stepping after the servant girl to follow her.
"Um, excuse me! We were sent over here because we were told that you might know where any spare uniforms might be, my brother and I just got hired by the Master today." She explained, the honest and pleading tone in her voice surprisingly easy to believe as real.
The servant girl looked over at her, arching her eyebrows at Atashi's tattoos, but said nothing of it. "Uh, oh, right, the spare uniforms are in that closet at the end of the hall--we're only allowed one each, so please be careful with them."
Atashi nodded, thanking her and setting the crates down where instructed before going to the closet and pulling out a uniform for herself, throwing it on over her current attire, and then pulling one out for Crowe and handing it to him with a cheeky grin.
She looked back at the servant girl. "Thanks! What's the quickest way to the main hall? Sorry we can't help you out more with the shipment."
"Oh, that's alright--it's that set of stairs to the left at the end of the hallway, make another left and a right and you'll be right there."
Atashi nodded and saluted to her before leading the way, quite proud of how easily she'd assimilated them in to the manor staff.
"Well, if you were a stuffy noble who'd just bought a famous artist's sketchbook for way too much money, where would you put it?" She asked Crowe in a hushed voice as she followed the instructions, leading them up the stairs and into another hallway.