Thieves Among Us {JackieChat}

[Lowen Thorn]

Lowen looked upon Meerior curiously as she took control of the conversation.

'What is...'

His eyes lit up. Of course! She was, for the most part, lying. Brilliant!

The young traveler opened his mouth to join in on the ruse. "Yes," he said quickly with a reassuring nod. "I-It is the only thing I have left of value in this world! My mother gave it to me before she died, so I would never just give it away! You must be mistaken! And I do not have any spare coin-"

He stopped.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

His head started pounding. Why?

"My mother-" he said, but was cut off again by the drum-like banging inside his skull. He cupped his temples with his palms, grimacing as the throbbing continued and the dizziness ensued. Thud. Thud. Thud.

An image, though very brief, flashed over his eyes. It was a woman. A woman older than him, with wrinkles on her face and kindness in her eyes. She was beautiful. She was familiar.

"Well that is not what you told me just a few hours ago!" the merchant barked, losing his patience. "You told me you had no use for it anymore, that the mere sight of it made you sick! Something about moving on with your life!"

Thud. Thud. Thud.

[JackieCat]

Good, he was playing along. . .

But what was happening to him?  He seemed to be having some sort of terrible headache, and the merchant was starting to lose it.  Meerior stepped forward.  She didn't know what was happening to Lowen, or whether or not she should help him, but maybe getting the ring back would help.

"Look what's happening to him!" she hissed to merchant. "He's having a breakdown!  What will something like that do for your business?  Do you want to make a scene?  Look!" she pointed to a few of the people who had been walking by who were now looking at them quizzically. "People are already starting to stare!"

[Lowen Thorn]

[OOC: I think I saw in your wants and limits that you don't like excessive swearing. There's a bit in this post as that's one of the things Ipsen is notorious for, but I'll ease up going forward.]

Click.

The man's ailments physically washed away - apparent to those around him. He shot his eyes up at the merchant standing across from him, but something was different. His eyes were cold, laser-focused, and flooded with rage.

Without missing a beat, his arm shot across the stand, grabbing the merchant's neck with a firm hand. "I changed my mind," he hissed through his teeth. There were some gasps from the crowd of onlookers around them as situation grew more tense. "I am not moving on at this point, and I want that damn ring back. And you're going to give me that ring back, got it?"

The merchant tried to respond, but the young traveler's fingers sunk further into his throat causing him to choke.

With his free hand, the man slapped the side of the merchant's head, twice. "And if you ever come at Lowen with that shady merchant backtalk shit again, I will kick your teeth in," he warned as his voice rose in volume. "You got that? Lowen's not here anymore. You gotta deal with me now, boy."

[JackieCat]

(OOC:  I actually don't mind if it's for your character and is important to his personality(which it seems to be).  Since it's part of the story and part of his character, go for it!)

Wow.  Something changed.

Lowen, or whoever he'd changed into, was really getting aggressive.  Meerior was quite shocked by it, despite the fact that she had a similar condition.

She watched as he threatened the merchant, and when he finished talking, she stepped forward, shaking her head.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" she snapped to the man, stepping right up to him, seemingly unintimidated by his aggressive manner. "He was probably going to give you the ring out of guilt any second, and you just had to go on and get all crazy on him?  If someone calls the Town Guard, then what?"

Not that Zantaric was very good with keeping crime down, but it would still be a hassle to deal with any sort of law enforcement that came along. 

[Lowen Thorn]

(OOC: Ah okay, good deal!)

The man gripped the merchant's throat even tighter as he shot Meerior a look of disgust.

"And just who the hell are you?" he barked, staring coldly into the woman's eyes. After a moment, his lips curled into an amused smile, though the look in his eyes were still every bit as insane. "Oh, you. The girl. The crazy one. Yeah, I remember him talking to you back there in the alleyway. Gods, where the hell does he find people like you? You're no better than we are!"

He returned his focus to the merchant, his lips stretching further into a sinister grin. "Back to you."

He pulled the merchant in closer to him, and slipped the necklace/ring off of the man's neck. "Thanks, pal."

With that, he pushed the merchant forward, causing him to topple over onto the ground. He shot Meerior another quick glance. "Thanks for nothing," he said quickly before turning heel and walking away.

His pace came to a halt as he saw a few figures approaching. The town guard were actually doing their job for once. Wonderful.

[JackieCat]

Meerior did not appreciate this attitude, and let out a scoff as 'Lowen' took the ring and turned away.

She chuckled when she saw the town guard approaching. "You idiot," she said, stepping up next to 'Lowen' and crossing her arms. "Look what you've done.  Here comes the town guard."

The guards were getting closer, and Meerior sneered at 'Lowen'.  "There'll be a fight if we don't get out of here," she said, turning away.  "Follow me, I know a way to get out of here and away from them.  I don't know about your fighting abilities, but those guards outnumber us 3 to 1.  I'd rather not deal with that today."

[Lowen Thorn]

This newly awakened version of Lowen studied Meerior's face with an amused grin. "I'd prefer to fight these bastards myself," he sneered. "But, I am curious as to where you'll take us, and why you'll take us. Most would turn heel at this point in meeting ol' Lowen... so you're either different, something special, or just plain stupid."

He held out his arm, motioning her to lead the way.

[JackieCat]

Meerior smiled, then her eyes flicked past 'Lowen' to the guards.  They were close now.  A tiny prick of alarm spiked in her chest.  She didn't remember the way out.

She stood there, frozen, for a second, the fear starting to turn to panic, bubbling up, just about to explode. . .

Then her head jerked to the side, and when she looked back at 'Lowen', the sensible, level-headed persona of a moment ago was gone, replaced with someone who was completely different.  Someone who appeared to be completely crazy, but the look in her eyes and the crazy grin on her face.

Meerior laughed, she remembered the way now.  In response to 'Lowen's' comment, her grin widened. "I'm a little bit of both!"

Then she turned on her heel and slipped into a narrow alleyway, not bothering to see if 'Lowen' was following.

[Lowen Thorn]

The man watched in awe as Meerior obviously transitioned to another personality. This was one different from the first two. This must have been what it was like to look from the outside in. The typical look of confusion, fright, of an onlooker when Ipsen took control of Lowen's mind. Not Ipsen, though. He welcomed the change. Could prove to be fun.

But was she real? The man couldn't help wonder at her rapid change of state. There were specific times where Lowen would back off into the shadows, allowing Ipsen to take control, or certain situations in which Ipsen felt the need to introduce himself. The ring situation, for instance, was one.

Sure, Ipsen was the one who gave the merchant the ring in the first place. He was tired of looking at it. It was just a symbol of their past that Lowen needed to keep buried, whether Lowen knew it or not.

So, is Meerior the same? Or is she something else? Or is this all just a game?

"Found ya a woman, Lowen," he chuckled under his breath. "This one is just as bad as we are."

The man followed the woman through the alleyway.

[JackieCat]

The alleyway was long and narrow, barely wide enough for one person to walk down.  Meerior followed it for a while, and she could hear the guards behind them, yelling for them to stop.  She laughed, and looked behind her at 'Lowen' as she picked up the pace.

"Keep up!" she called to him.

She stopped running in front of a door to a building.  She reached up, grabbing the top of the door frame and lifting herself up, using the door handle as a step so she could reach up and grab onto the edge of the windowsill above.  She pulled herself up onto it and slipped through the open window.  She peered down at 'Lowen'.  The guards were just around the corner behind them, if 'Lowen' could get up and through the window fast enough, the guards wouldn't know where they went.

[Lowen Thorn]

Ipsen followed with an excited smile and a wild look in his eyes. This was actually fun. Better than killing, for now.

He came to a heavy stop, watching in awe as the woman slipped through the window and out of sight with ease. Following her lead, he grabed the top of the door and began hoisting himself up. Almost there.

He fell back to the ground. Shit. His footing never quite caught the door knob. Curse Lowen's clumsy physique and lack of strength.

The guards were nearing, and Ipsen gave it another shot. He made it this time and cleared visibility just in time for the them to come down the alley, only to be dumbfounded by their disappearance.

'That was close', he mouthed at Meerior as the men below them continued their search.

[JackieCat]

He wasn't going to make it.  Maybe the previous Meerior personality would've minded, but this one didn't.  It would just make this more interesting!

The guards were just around the corner. . .  Then he pulled himself up through the window, just in time.  The guards hadn't seen him. Oh, well.

She smiled at him, then peered out the window at the men below.  They had passed the window.  Meerior pursed her lips.  They'd escaped.  They'd gotten away from the town guard.  How boring.

Well, that could be fixed.

She leaned far out the window.  "HEY!" she yelled, waving an arm.  The guards stopped in their tracks and turned around to see her waving at them, grinning. "OVER HERE!" she shouted.

The guards looked at her like she was crazy, an accurate assumption, and then started back towards them.  Meerior laughed and waved again.  Now it was going to be interesting again!

[Lowen Thorn]

Ipsen stared at Meerior, mouth agape as she called the guard's attention after they just got away from them. Maybe he would have to kill these guys after all, or maybe he would just have to kill her. Or, maybe, she was just trying to create a game for them, and he should play along while he had a little freedom.

His frustration shifted to amusement. "Fine," he muttered. "If that's the way you want it!"

While the woman's eyes were on the guards, he gave her a firm push to send her back out the window and to their reach.

"Good luck!" he said with a chuckle as he headed further into the building.

[JackieCat]

"Oof!"

Meerior tumbled through the window, rolling as she hit the ground and quickly getting to her feet.  The guards had her surrounded before she even had the chance to do anything.  They trained their weapons on her, and she laughed.

"Hello!" she grinned at them.  Then she muttered something under her breath.

"Hey!  What're you doing?" one of the guards snapped, stepping closer to her.

There was silence for a moment, then Meerior sighed.  "I just asked a friend of mine to help me out, he's a demon, but he must be busy."

The guards glanced at each other, she was crazy!  People weren't just friends with demons. . .  Though this was Zantaric.

"Alright, you're coming with us." The guard grabbed her arm, and she shrugged.

"Oh well," she said. "I guess I'll just-!"

She stopped when she saw a rat sitting on a pile of rubbish nearby.  "Ooh!" she cried, grinning and clapping her hands together. "Hello, friend!" she beamed at the small creature, who stared at her. "I would love a little help here.  These mean men are trying to lock me up!"

"Just shut up!"  one of the guards barked, and Meerior fell silent as the rat scurried away.  The guards yanked her down the alley, and they had almost reached the end when a sound floated from the gutter.  The guards looked down, and one let out a shriek as rats streamed from the gutter.  Merrior let out a shriek of joy as the rats engulfed the guards, crawling up their legs and onto their faces.  As the guards writhed around in an attempt to get the rats off, Meerior slipped away.  She went back to the window, climbed up, and rushed after 'Lowen'.

[Lowen Thorn]

Ipsen let out a sinister chuckle as he explored the new building he found himself in. What a stupid, annoying brat. Lowen sure knew how to pick'em, he thought. If they were just going to keep the guards on their tail, it would be better just to kill them.

Oh well. They had their hands full now with that girl now.

His eyes curiously scanned the building as he contemplated what to do, or steal, completely unaware that Meerior was closing in.

[JackieCat]

She looked around the building for a minute before she found him.  He was looking around, and seemed as if he was trying to decide what to do.  She ran up behind him, her footsteps almost silent on the wood floor.

"What're you doing?" she asked.  "Do you wanna go or are you going to just hang out in this dusty building all day.  Though it is pretty interesting in here. . .". Her eyes fixated on to a blank part of the wall that appeared to have nothing interesting on it at all, but she was studying it as though there was an interesting insect or pattern there.

[Lowen Thorn]

[OOC: I love Meerior]

Ipsen jumped a bit at the sound of her voice, whipping around with that returning look of disgust on his face. He watched her briefly, his mouth agape as she studied the wall in front of her.

"You scared the shit out of me," he said bluntly. "The hell you doin', anyway? No offense, lady, but I got the ring back. I don't see any use for you anymore. What did you hope to get out of this?"

His hand rested on the hilt of his dagger and he glared at the woman. He was not Lowen, and he had about enough of the charade.

[JackieCat]

[OOC: Thanks!  I really like Ipsen's reactions to her!]

She didn't answer for a second.  Not to be intentionally rude, of course, but because she was so interested in the wall that she didn't hear him at first.  When she realized he'd spoken to her and heard what he'd said, she looked at him quizzically.

"What d'you mean?" she asked.  Then smiled at him, as if she understood what he meant. "Oh!  I'm just here because I like you.  I think you're nice." Then her voice changed slightly. "He is nice, isn't he.  Yes, he is, a very fascinating fellow." Then she seemed to snap out of it and grinned back at him. "I like hanging out with people who I like who are also nice."

[Lowen Thorn]

Ipsen's hand eased off of the dagger's hilt. This girl wasn't a threat, and he had nothing to gain from bringing her any harm. What's more, he felt a strange similarity to her - despite the obvious differences.

Time to find out more.

"I like you too, Meerior," he lied. "Tell me, who were you talking to just now? Do you have a special friend, or friends, that you carry around with you too? You've met Lowen, but-"

He stopped, sneaking a grin. "I don't think I've formally introduced myself! Where are my manners?" he asked, taking her hand and shaking it before she had the chance to react. "My name is Ipsen. You're a lot better off with me than ol' Lowen!"

[JackieCat]

"Talking to?" She frowned at him.  "I wasn't talking to anyone, I don't think." Her voice changed again. "Were you talking to someone else?  No, I don't think so.  Oh, okay." Her voice was normal again and she grinned at him. "Nope, I wasn't.  Just good 'ol me here."

Her grin widened when he introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Ipsen!  Though I do think Lowen was a interesting fellow himself.  Are you and Lowen good friends?  have you known him long?"