Take What You Can, Give Nothing Back (OPEN!)

[Deleted]

When you do wrong things and people catch you, you can deal with it two ways. One way is the right way. You can own up to it and beg for your life. You can even throw in an apology and grovel at their feet. You hope for the best and leave your fate in that person’s hands. The other way was dangerous. Far more exciting and waaaay less boring. You run! You run, run, run until they can’t see you anymore and enjoying the living hell out of it. Now that was Anastasia’s way of doing things. It’s no fun when you give up in any situation.

Such was the case today. You see, even pretty little thieves get hungry and instead of taking the legit route, Anastasia decided that she was just going to help herself to some bread, a single orange, and a deviled egg… or three. At least it started out that way. She scarfed down the eggs and the bread, leaving the orange for last until she saw it. Yeah, it! When she saw rum, she threw caution to the wind and went straight for it! God, rum was glorious. Especially in Port Royal. Besides, she was thirsty and after her ‘hard work’, she felt as though she deserved it. Then again, Anastasia always felt like she was entitled to anything. A thief’s prerogative. She’d take her time, moving slowly and carefully, lingering around a vendor who had a jug of rum placed on a counter top by his side.

Part of her felt as though her own brother wouldn’t be too happy to know how she was living here. At the same time, he was still missing and she did what she needed to so she could survive. It was all in the name of finding Antonio. She blended in nicely with the common folk here, going as far as to dress like them. Though, upon closer inspection, you can tell she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Anastasia was far from her real home. Ah well, make do right? Make the best of what you’ve got and enjoy the living hell out of it! She’s more than happy to be under the warm sun and clear skies of Port Royal for another while longer.

She was more than successful stealing before but her problem was that she only got a little more greedy. She lingered around too much and just as she got her rum, some men pursuing her earlier caught up. It started with shouting and that tiresome “THAT’S HER!” and that lovely “She’s the one that stole my food!” and the pointing. She dropped her orange and bolted immediately. Knocking crates and barrels down. Trying desperately to shove herself in between crowds. Sure you can drop fruit, but keep the rum, right? She just kept running and making a mess throughout town. Anastasia was, at this point, willing to create any sort of distraction she could to throw her pursuers off. Just what though? They were much more persistent and sharp than usual. She was afraid that if she tried, she'd get caught. Too many anomalies and not enough time and just the option of running. Jeez... If only they'd let up.

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Zidane traveled to the ends of the worlds. Sometimes to the end of the very point of existence. He has drifted through memories and climbed to the skies in search of floating islands. He was an adventurer who knew how to keep moving forward. Raised in the slums of Lindblum and living alongside some of the rowdiest customers this side of the City of Eternal Night, Zidane Tribal was a member of the crowd you tried to avoid if you were on the straight and narrow. He would lead you into trouble and drag you along for a ride down toward the abyss. But if there was anything positive about the flirty, scruffy, show-offy rouge is that he would always be there to pull you from the pit. Though he never shied away from drinking a fellow under the table or stealing the pants (or princess) from right under one’s nose, he was good-hearted and felt that someone always deserved to be lent a hand. The world was a harsh and unforgiving place. If you were not rich you went to sleep, more often than not, with an empty belly. Suffering was something folk of all cloth dealt with. Noble, commoner, pirate or thief, sometimes in that effort to live the good life, you had to lose a lot more along the way. Some were never able to make it out of that abyss. The rogue found that his time spent traveling he could always do more good than evil. He never stole to hurt. He felt that he was above pirates who saw fit to drown a man for not agreeing with the Boss. That was not saying sense wasn’t beaten into him on occasion, but he never felt he was under the threat of death when it came to Baku. He felt safe around the Boss and his brothers. The troupe was a home that many were forced to suffer without. Even if he was far from home, he always kept his heart with them while he searched for his love who was lost somewhere in the darkness that filled the space between the worlds. He was determined to bring everyone back home, or at the very least make sure they were safe. Knowing them they probably sought justice in their own way, or began their life anew, fighting to make it to tomorrow. It kept the thief going knowing they were out there, somewhere. He fought beside them day in and day out. He knew it took a lot more than a squirmy shadow to knock them down. Port Royal was one of his common stops. When he needed something to eat or information, this always seemed the place to go! In fact he came here following a rumor and hoped that he could find someone stu… willing enough to join him on his more reckless considerations. Rumor had it that the Black Pearl had once been seen sailing towards the Isla de Mureta. The Black Pearl is said to be a ship driven by an undead crew and one of the fastest ships in the sea. Rumored to chase down other ships when it is in need of new crew, the treasure it had gained in its journeys were laid to rest on the Isla. That had not been enough to pique Zidane’s interest. He felt, after all of the adventures he had experienced, there was no real treasure in the world that could satisfy the emptiness that his heart often felt without seeing her face, or holding her hand. What had drawn his interest was the rumors. Sightings of strange creatures, tales of Mermaids and a Leviathan stalking the seas. It had brought him a bit of hope, and a great deal of curiosity. The boy sat perched upon the lip of a roof of one of the bars. He had been watching the streets, the stars passing by as time ticked away. It was not uncommon for fights to break out, drunk or sober. It was why the rogue really settled around this place, he supposed. It was a lot like home. There were times fist fights would start over who left their shit out lying around the hideout or what idiot decided that it would be a good idea to dry their underwear over the cooking pots. Albeit it was usually Zidane on all counts, the fights always ended up with them going out for a drink or a good raid on a stuffy noble’s house. As he watched there appeared to be a woman making headway across the streets. A bunch of goons were chasing her down. Beside him his tail lay nearly completely still, the tip twitching when the cold winds would carry up to the chilly rooftops. His blue eyes were sharp. Even in the dark evenings Port Royal was known for his cat-like eyes easily caught every bit of light from the moon above to the torches below. His pupils appeared quite normal in the darkness, but when exposed to light they narrow into slits. His gloved hands gripped over the edge of the roof as he leaned forward dangerously. He continued forward until he was able to push himself off the roof’s edge and drop down to the ground. His smaller body easily tucked part of the way down so he landed on his feet. The soles of his heeled boots hit against the cobblestone streets below, a nearby torch wavering against the force of the rogue’s landing. With the racket they were making a lot of heads were peaking out the windows or bars. Zidane had noticed them from a mile away. How could he miss them. This lass was clearly a woman in need, a woman in distress. It went against the better portion of his nature to ignore it! His flashy entrance had taken the pursers by surprise. The boy was small, but the spot he dropped from had to be at least six meters in height. The boy looked rather young as well. He could not impose no more than fourteen with his features. Crossing his arms over his chest, the blue ribbon tied around his jabot which seemed a bit dirty. The pockets and leggings of his jodhpur seemed loose and baggy, likely weight down by loot and swag, but it was not of immediate notice. “Hey, that’s no way to be treating a lady!” The bandit asserted with his chest puffed out and, behind him, his sandy blond tail swaying side to side in the most hypnotic manner. “Flake off ye leech!” One of the men shouted out before drawing a knife and moving in to attempt to grab the woman by her wrist. In a flash the rogue jumped straight off the ground without a speck of effort and kicked the knife from the man’s hand before shifting his body and letting his hard, leather boot make contact with the bloke’s face. The man careened to the ground, an arch of blood flying from his nose. His weapon was tossed aside. The other pursuers were taken aback in shock. The young man grinned as he completed his turn he would land with his back to the other men, in a partial crouch. Without a whisper the rogue hit the ground running: kicking out of his crouch. “You better book it! They won’t be stupefied for long!” The thief took off, the other men finally regaining their senses and hitching after the pair, now under the assumption they worked together.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: A lady in jeopardy is always a noticeable view even in the dead of night!

►SKILLS USED: Jump Boost, Mug

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO

[Deleted]

”Hey, that’s no way to be treating a lady!”

While, normally, it was common to hear shouting in these parts of town, this seemed a little different. For one, he had the sort of voice that you absolutely could not ignore. The boom of his voice drew curious attention, causing Anastasia to slow her pace. That’s right she kept moving. Curious as she was, it didn’t stop an angry man from slitting her throat. He didn’t sound like he was from these parts either. Out of this world actually. It was quite new to her. She could’ve sworn she was the only one around here who spoke like that. He sounded young. Part of her really did think it was her brother but he would’ve recognized her by now or something, right? She hoped so.

The familiar sound of dragging metal against a scabbard was right in her ear. It was sound that struck her nerves and made her run faster. She could even feel him nearing her. Nope, nope, nope. Anastasia didn’t want to die today. She had so many pretty things to steal andd people to find. Pretty places to go and pretty people to meet. This was not her time. ”Flake off ye leech!” She cursed in her mind. Maybe she should’ve fought them despite not wanting to expose herself more than she already did. They say hell hath no fear like a woman scorned but it was equally true for men in this case. Yes. The snowy haired female certainly underestimated the group. She knew she was in for it this time.

Yet, she wasn’t…? A few more steps and Anastasia whipped her head around to see her suspicions confirmed. She moved just in time to see him kick the armed man right in the face. The tension in her body was apparent but she felt as though she could breathe a little easier, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath she made as she looked on curiously at the spectacle before her. The vivacious female couldn’t help but bite back a wicked smile at the sight of a kid taking down the man with not a drop of blood to spare. She liked the sight of the others. Anastasia couldn’t tell what she liked more. There sure was something beautiful about those dumfounded looks plastered on their big, dumb faces.

It was at this moment she got a better look at her hero. Based on the way he was dressed, her suspicions were right. He certainly wasn’t from this world. Alas, he was not her brother. They both had white hair. It was weird but it was nice if they ever got lost. The clang of metal against the cobblestone pavement quickly brought Anastasia back to her senses and her smile would slowly fade. It wasn’t safe here. That wouldn’t be enough to scare any one of these slimy gits off. These are men that lived for fighting in bars and drank all night until their liver couldn’t take it. The show was nice but sticking around was no bueno.

One foot moved behind the other as she started backwards. Ruby irises looking to her blonde haired hero. Would he settle it? Would he be alright? Why on earth did she care? Anastasia lived for herself. Sure it was nice and all but she spent a great deal of time not to alert anyone of a foreigner living around in Port Royal. She didn’t think she could deal with that sort of pressure. ”You better book it! They won’t be stupefied for long!” She smirked, partially relieved. It was just was on her mind. “I like how you think.” She liked a lot of things but right now, she liked running most of all. Run away to live and fight another day. Or steal. She really tried her best to not fight. Negotiation just wasn’t the best option when someone’s stark raving mad.

For now, all the men would see was a image of Anastasia standing stupidly with the rum in her hand. Though it’d only last for a moment. It was an afterimage of yours truly. She’d moved quicker this time, following after her new, seemingly roughish friend. Hopefully, they were both farther away from the raging bunch. He seemed to have an idea to go. She thought up a few places on her own. Staying out of town for now was probably first on their list of priorities. She knew just the place they could go too. It may have been occupied but they have a cozy cellar she’d frequent at when the weather was rough and when she got the chance? She snuck into the main house and found a guest room for herself. Though this happened often. All she had to do was make sure she was out before the mades came in to clean the rooms. It was like having hotel service without having to pay for it. The food here was great too.

“C’mon blondie~ There’s a mansion up the hills we can hide out at.” she’d point in the general direction of where she was headed. She’d settled on calling him blondie for the duration of their time together. No ifs or buts about it. She’d commonly nickname people against their will. It was fun to her. As far as the mansion goes, the least she could do for him was give him a place to hide out at. It wasn’t that she was feeling particularly kind. No, Anastasia was too fearful in her own right for that. She didn’t like having debts and maybe… maybe she felt a little bad. Just a little. When she caught sight of the grandiose house, she continued on, speaking as she moved. “We’ll have to go through the cellar at the side of the house.” she pointed out. The front door was for rich people anyways.

“I hope you like spiders.”

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Zidane did not slow down once he got running. Though they would eventually be unable to keep up with two, semi-sober, spry youths. Sometimes being a land lubber was advantageous against fellows who still had their sea legs on. Zidane was not much of the seafaring sort, but that was not saying he was incapable of handling a ship. He has ridden all sorts of ships, by sea and by air, so it was not beyond his capacity to do! Unlike the many who inhabited the port, which lived there on a temporary basis or passing through on rounds, the thief hung about in semi-permanence, working on the docks and gathering info when he could. It was always easier to listen in on a conversation than pay the guy a gold for the same info later! He was a thrifty sort and knew just how long to hang around before the goings got good. But at the present moment, the goings were not all that good. He really did not know the situation at hand, but it was better than sitting around all night anyhow. Maybe he would totally get lucky? Hiding out for the night did not seem like a bad idea. He knew they probably wouldn’t give up. And if they were found out in an inn somewhere, it wouldn’t be long before they were at the windows looking to slit their throats in their sleep! The quick-footed rogue pushed up the hill with ease. He showed no signs of slowing down. Even though his running pace seemed odd, it was mostly due to his height. That small body certainly packed a lot of strength so even a single stride took him far. Behind that long, strangely flexible, limb waved behind in tandem to his movements. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail, a blue ribbon matching the tie on his jabot. His clothing did not precisely match up to the fellows about but it came pretty close. His seemed a more extravagant set of clothes that did fit him as perfectly in an unexpected manner. It was typically assumed these articles of clothes pilfered and barely hemed to his size, but what he choose to wear were perfectly suited to him. The jodhpur, jabot and leather gloves seemed familiar of the fanciful men from the furthest Frankish seas, and had no place on a rogue, while his short fitting gilet sat over a sleeveless tee shirt which was haphazardly tucked into his belted pants. All in all it gave him an air of respectability, save for the occasional smudge that came with a guy willing to get on his knees to help you out. That portion of his attire seemed more on par with the lazy ship hands that wandered the docks. He seemed a fanciful mismatch of style. A heroic fellow who would drop kick strangers, but dressed as if he was going out kissing hands with the rich and famous. Running around to the other side of the place he looked around for this entrance the woman spoke of. He made it to the cellar door. He hurried over, nearly stumbling over his own two feet. Sliding to a stop in front of the doors he bent down to pull the doors open, but found them locked. “It’s always something.” In one, fluid motion he drew a blade from his holster. The pink-colored knife seemed rather absurde looking, but this did not stop the rogue from using the tip of his weapon to force the lock of the cellar door open and pull heavy doors back. With a grin he expertly spun his blade and sheathed it back before motioning into the dank cellar. “Ladies first.” Of course he would follow behind her and close the doors.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: A thief in the hand is worth two in the bush.

►SKILLS USED: N/A

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO

[Deleted]

The more she watched him run the more she realized something rather important. It donned on her that that her friend was a little more similar to her than she expected. He seemed to know what he was doing and that was A-okay with her. She just silently let him take the lead, preferring to take the backseat. People give you a lot of crap for that but its a nice thing when you don’t have to work hard in order to play hard. Relaxing and doing things on your own time was much better.

She would’ve worked on the lock herself, getting ready to pull out Desperado and work her magic on that lock but he’d beat her to it. He just got much more interesting by the second. Forget picking the lock for a moment. It was all serious and scary until he took it upon himself to draw a certain knife. This was a pink knife that she couldn’t help but eyeball for the entirety of the time he spent forcing the lock open. It was such a hilarious thing that she was at a loss for words. Anastasia grinned wildly at the weapon, not bothering to hide her amusement at all. She made a mental note to tease him about that later. It was just too good. If he pulled that out during their encounter with the men from earlier, that would’ve been pure gold. After a few moments, he finally pried the doors open, she looked down at the familiar darkness of the room.

”Ladies first.”

Crimson eyes shifted to the younger male. In a moment, she was going to have her back turned to a stranger. Sure, he helped her earlier but she didn’t know his name and vice versa. Then again, this was the kid who picked a lock with a pink dagger. Anastasia couldn’t be any safer! It was flawed logic but whatever. Her face lit up, smiling at him and carefully making her way down the steep stairway, walking down a narrow path between walls of barrels that held probably the finest of wines. The cellar linked directly to the kitchen of this place and considering the time, it would be empty and she would be free to help herself. She’d make her way over to the door and opening it quietly before carefully stepping out into the kitchen and resting her stolen jug of rum on the island, sighing. It was dark with just the moon shining through the window illuminating the room “..Aaaand we’re here~ Make yourself comfortable” She looked at him, grinning. She’d lower her voice, whispering almost. “Courtesy of whoever lives here~”

Anastasia immediately took to the cupboards, rummaging around for something to eat or anything of possible value. “Thank you for that thing back there. The look on their faces was priceless~“ It’s a damn shame she dropped her orange. That would've been nice right about now. There was nothing but fancy porcelain plates and teacups in the first few. Ugh. Useless. She decided on giving up for now, propping herself up to sit on the kitchen island. She slouched, her cleavage showing just a bit from the hemline of her shirt as she settled on resting her forearms on her lap. She looked at him from head to toe, raising an eyebrow. That trademark mischievous smile of her’s would slowly work its way back to her face and she’d look at him, pointing at him teasingly. “That’s a very, very cute, pink knife you have by the way, blondie… Can I have one in purple~?” she said almost giggling.

Now that they’d both have the chance to calm down and catch their breath, she’d notice some actual important features of her new friend. For one, he had a tail. Part of her just wanted to reach out and grab it, like a cat playing with a toy. There was a very high chance that they both were very good at the same thing too. He wasn’t bad at picking that lock. Little actions and behaviors can say a lot sometimes. Or she could be out of her mind. Who knows, it was a long night. All she knew was that, for the moment, she was going to entertain herself and embarrass him to pieces. “You’re adorable, little guy! Where are ya from?” she asked, not bothering to just hide it or beat around the bush. Anastasia only did that when she was around someone who seemed threatening. This guy here didn’t give her that vibe at all. So, why not get to know the guy? “Ah! I’m Anastasia by the way. Resident thief. I steal pretty things and pretty people’s hearts~” Anastasia had no problem being cheesy as hell either.

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Where the woman had taken path down the cellar with familiarity, Zidane held a more languid pace that held the grace of caution. If they were meant to be hiding out, it would do no good if those creeps caught them at a dead end. He turned to look back as he reached out for the doors. Without a breathe of drunken loons in sight he closed the doors without hesitation and made his way down the stairwell. The room was largely empty, at least in terms of furniture. The stove was built into the wall as well as many of the storage units. Barrels of, what one could only assume were wine, were cozied into the nooks specifically built for their storage. Leave it to nobles to have their own wine cellar. Zidane’s nose was immediately assaulted by the nauseating sweet scent as he stepped into the main area, from the darkness of the stairwell. Even though some of the evening light poured in from the windows cut out of the brick, allowing the cool night breeze to flow in, it was still difficult to see. Through the shift between the cellar and surface was sudden the thief was able to climb down without tripping or finding any difficulty. It was already dark as it was going to get that evening and his sharper, almost inhuman eyes, adjusted quite readily for the situation. He reached back toward his satchel, gloved fingers deftly undoing the hook. He drew from his belongings a flint. It was always handy to have the stone. Not only was it good for lighting fires, but it also did well cutting through rope in a dire situation when one could not so easily retrieve their blades. Locating a lantern lamp on one of the wooden counter tops the rogue would open the glass door and strike his flint, lighting the wick. He winced a bit at the glow, but blinked and smirked, glad to have a bit of light in the room. At her thanks he turned around, putting the flint back into his gear. A bit smirk drew itself on his features. “No problem. Not that it’s any of my business, but what had them so miffed?” Though he knew it didn’t take much for those drunkards to lose their shit. Sometimes it took nothing at all! He settled his hands on his hips, tail hanging low behind him. Zidane was the sort to wear his heart on his sleeve. He was never very good at hiding his emotions, which left him at a crossroads when it came to lying. That was why, one could surmise, he took the more troubling endeavors of breaking and entering. Something of a personal skill seeing as his deception was not as proclaimed as Marcus’ or the Nero Brothers. Though he was a great and enthusiastic man on the stage that could make even the most implausible of stories seem like a reachable possibility. On the stage the rogue could turn dreams into reality. It was his boundless energy that pushed a person to believe the impossible. The way he spoke, with such confidence, always seemed to brighten a person’s morale. Perhaps, though, the only reason this was a factual case for the thief was the fact he did believe. Though he had no beliefs toward Fate or Destiny, he felt that if a person did try, they could succeed in trying! Even if all dreams turned out to be nightmares, or happiness was systematically chipped away. So long as you had a smile in your heart, you could fly. He blinked, brows knitting at her words toward his dagger. “Knife?! This isn’t just any Knife. This is a custom Dagger crafted by the apprentice of the Famous Family of Bishop! They are renowned for their impeccable craftsmanship!” He went on, clearly not having really taken notice of her mention of its color. For the rogue the color, really had no bearing on the blade. It was enough that it had been crafted and perfectly designed for defending hte rogue against his superiors on the battlefield. Having been surrounded by so many powerful Mages through his travels in the past, he needed a weapon that could stand against the magic wielding terrors that faced him. He wanted to be of use to his friends, so he had to be able to defend himself and stand on his own so they did not always have to pick up after him. The blades themselves were built to eradicate Mages. In the end the thief had no idea she had been laughing at the color, more so latching onto the fact she called it a knife! Zidane could easily be considered to have an obsession with the weapon class, considering his absurd collection back home. At her prodding of his looks the thief crossed his arms over his chest. He really hated being called adorable, or cute. It only reminded him how his brothers made him play the more feminine roles when they hadn't any female players or Ruby to back them up. Since he was small and his face was less frightening than the troupe once cleaned up. He hated those shitty roles and was always assertive when it came to his gender. He would start fights at the drop of a hat if anyone tried to pet him, or push him around. His size came with a fierce bite with roots in his birth. It was rumored that Baku had a near impossible time handling the wild child. He was only staved off with beatings and feedings. The boy’s energy was put on the stage and in the battlefield when it could be. So her assault on his manliness put a sour expression on his face. He smirked. “Resident thief huh? Haven’t heard of ya.” Of course he was a loud mouth and always liked spreading his name to authority figures and ladies alike. He threw up his hands, giving up on the matter concerning Anastasia’s perception of him. “Name’s Zidane, the greatest Bandit of the skies, the Surveyor of worlds! The teller of Tales!” He gave a cheery, mock salute. Leaning back on the wall he crossed his arms and looked to the girl. “Hey, yer a resident you said… ya ever hear of this place called the Isla de Mureta?” He questioned.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: The world is a big place, so much more beyond that open sea.

►SKILLS USED: N/A

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO

[Deleted]

Ah~! So he was the type that had easy feathers to ruffle. Oh yes, Anastasia would certainly have a ball of a time with this one. She didn’t have a spec of shame for the things she’d told him or anything for that matter. Anastasia was someone who did not like to carry baggage with her. Freedom was the greatest thing one could have and she liked that. She figured she’d be in debt to him for earlier so she brought him here. Now, she didn’t owe him a damn thing. Debt was terrible. It followed you around like a heavy chain weight. The only chain weight she could tolerate was the one on Desperado, her chain scythe.

Her own smirk matched his own as he asked her about why the men from earlier were beyond livid. There was no real pretty way to say it. Anastasia was the root of all the trouble and it was hilarious to her. It was as if she’d completely forgotten she’d brushed with death earlier. She had so many times before but such was life in the world of Anastasia Solis. Living in Port Royal the way she did was no walk in the park but that never got her down. For someone who was morally gray, she had a rather optimistic view on life. Anastasia lived for the happy moments and her problem was she’d do anything to attain it. Anything. As long as she was alive in the end.

As long as they were incognito together, she’d gladly come clean to him about a few things. She did just introduce herself to him as a thief. “I was hungry so I helped myself to their food” She shrugged, sheepishly grinning. “Ah, they were more persistent than usual. I guess I shoulda been more careful but theeen… I wouldn’t have met you, blondie~” She winked at him before reaching over of her jug of rum. She couldn’t help but drop more shameless comments at him, feeling quite happy to do so. Everything happened for a reason. Maybe she needed find herself in deep crap this time. Maybe she didn’t! Who knows? It sounds bad to other people but not to her. Anastasia figured she was doing everything decently. It was all in the name of surviving and thriving. You take what you can, give nothing back.

She’d uncork the jug and bring the mouth of the small, glass jug to her lips. She could feel the warm, burning sensation of the alcohol down her throat. It gave her a nice, warm feeling like… everywhere. Rum was great. It was in Port Royal in abundance and she’d come to really love it. As she drank, she made the mistake of moving her gaze over towards his now seemingly irritated face. Anastasia found herself forcing the bottle away and swallowing whatever was in her mouth before she spat out anything all because of his hilarious little rant. Droplets of the amber liquid trickled down the corners of her smiling mouth. She brought up the back of her hand to wipe it off as she tried to contain her laughter. He wasn’t concerned with the color at all! His focus was on her usage of the word “knife”.

She brought her hand to her mouth in mock astonishment. “Oho~…Touchy. I just like the color of your kni— I mean dagger~” Old habits die hard. Not that she was trying to kill it off anyways. She couldn’t help but prod him about it again. Though, it seemed his frustration wouldn’t stop. She crossed her legs, folding her arms across her chest as she waited expectantly for his next retort eagerly. ”Resident thief huh? Haven’t heard of ya.” She loved banter too. Laughter escaped the girl’s lips at his comment. Not too loud though! It still wasn’t her fancy mansion. “Shhh. Shh~… That’s cause I haven’t stolen your heart yet.” She jumped off the counter, and placed her hands on her hips, proudly. “You will soon, blondie~! Trust me!” And her name wouldn’t be Anastasia Solis if he didn’t remember her! She was always memorable… often times for the worst reasons. Still memorable!

“Zidane, eh? Pleasure~ Ain’t heard o’ ya but I’ll take your word for it~” she threw it back at him somewhat hoping to annoy him again. She pointed at his tail, smiling genuinely. “Nice tail. Are you a ferret or something?” It was the first thing that came to mind when she saw it. She was genuinely curious this time. Anastasia was severely uneducated in regards to this but this was one thing she was absolutely sure of. She’d seen a ferret before… furry, four legs, barks. That’s definitely Zidane, right? Couldn’t be too sure. He seemed honest though. So he’d probably tell her. Even if he was el bandito of the skies. If it looked like a ferret, her philosophy was that it probably was.

He started to ask the important questions which caused her to stop her silly antics. “Isla de Muerta? The island of death? Yeah I heard of it. Cortes’s cursed treasure’s there.” There were somethings you don’t touch. That was one of them. Despite that, there was gold there. Safe gold. The kind she could happily steal without any sort of repercussions. That was a definite. She’d like to go sometime. She just wouldn't go alone. It was a hidden island whose location was only known to those who know where its hidden. Getting there is difficult and the waters were infested with sharks. It wasn't just a name. The entirety of the island was a one way ticket to Davy Jones's locker... or something like that. “Why do you ask?”

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Zidane shifted uneasily when she talked about stealing his heart. Sure he was one hell of a flirt, but when girls did it back to him it was really unsettling. His flirtatious behavior was more of a quirk. Living with a bunch of guys who do little more than drink and fight, learning to talk to girls like they did was sometimes the only way he could overcome his inability to properly relate to the more feminine party of the human race. He was a self-proclaimed ladies man, by show of his knowledge of their names and having spend a night drinking with each one, but it was not until Garnet had he had a meaningful relationship with one, or even one that close. Before her he had never really held a girl, talked to one at length nor -- kissed one! Girls should be more reserved… at least that was what he felt these days. He did try to talk to others normally but he was naturally boisterous and had to kid around. It was jsut too complicated for the boy. So he did what he felt was best to handle the situation. Ignore it entirely. He let out a bright laugh and pushed from the wall. “My heart’s already caged, but … the hell is a ferret?” He suddenly blurted out, gloved hand motioning in confusion. Sure not everyone was really used to seeing a guy with a tail, but it was such a natural part of him that, after a while, it was simply what Zidane was. Sure he was blasted with a menagerie of colorful terms, including monkey, and filthy rat, but ferret? What was that? The boy’s face twisted in confusion as he tried to picture what it could possibly be. WHen his mind couldn’t really process it he simply shook his head and moved on. It seemed a habit of the boy’s Whenever something seemed too complicated or bothersome, where he could simply not be arsed to try he did not. Though with a nature like that he was not someone who was bogged down by inconsequential things and could always focus on the bigger picture. When she said she knew of the island and that it was indeed rumored to hold treasure, he held out his hand, body as expressive as that youthful face of his. “I was lookin’ to head out there and find me some adventure. I hear all sorts of creatures live that way and I was pretty curious about them. But if there’s actually treasure there, I don’t see why I can’t capital off this venture.” He looked down in a thoughtful manner, hands coming to rest at his hips. It shouldn’t be that hard to find it. “What do ya say? You look smarter than the rest of the goons around. Last time they tried to one up me just from hearing about the plans. I bet, together, we can make it all the way and nab that treasure for ourselves!” Though his interest lay more in the rumors of Leviathans out there. Acquiring a vessel, easy enough with these drunkards, but finding someone with the map, now that was the challenge! Zidane let his arms fall to his sides as he looked around the room. it wasn’t very cozy, but he’s hunkered down in worst places before. Moving toward one of the wine barrels he carefully inspected the crevice. No good spots to climb up and settle in. Wandering around the unfamiliar cellar he seemed to be looking for something… When he found a cozy spot he pulled himself up off the ground and settled right where the stone was carved out into a window. He fit quite well in the spot and moved to fold his arms behind his head. “I suppose there’s not really anything we can do til morning anyway.” He crossed his right leg over his left knee to relax. He supposed that was how adventures went… He hated waiting around.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: One man's adventure is another's gain.

►SKILLS USED: n/a

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO

[Deleted]

“You know…. a ferret!”

How could she tell her friend that he was a real ferret without telling him. What if it hurt his feelings? Yikes. “That awesome thing!” Anastasia waved her hands thinking that would make her extremely poor explanation better. How can he not know what a ferret was?! Ferrets were absolutely amazing. She saw one on a ship once. It was always on the captains shoulders and they were sneaky. Super colorful sometimes too. Some of them even have feathers! Those were the rare ones though. Still they were amazing creatures. Anastasia looked at him exasperated for a moment. How do you explain to a ferret that he’s a ferret. “Hmm…” Words were something she was normally good at. Except now, she was at a loss for them. She just knew what it looked like. “They have tails!” She was about as descriptive as a four year old. Running out of options, Anastasia just decided to give up and reassure her friend the ferret that he was one of the greatest little bandits nature had to offer. “Trust me, blondie. You’re a ferret.”

Only not.

He sure as hell wasn’t scared when it came to Isla de Muerta. Men would exchange weary glances and whisper just at the name alone. Dangerous was one of the many words people used to described that place. Adventure and treasure never made things dull and it was a combination of her favorite two things. As long as she survives in the end, it doesn’t matter to her. You have to be crazy and reckless to want to go there. He was both but it was good thing. She found herself an old wooden table and propped herself up on it. “Aside from shark infested waters? I’m not sure what else lives there. I hear the place is shrouded in heavy fog and sunken ship. It’s worth checkin’ out.” As long as it wasn’t Cortes’s treasure. No matter how wild the stories she heard were, there had to be a grain of truth to them and cursed treasure seemed to be the bottom line. Everything else was fair game.

Anastasia blinked, looking at him confusedly. “Y-You’re asking me? You just met me!” Trust did not come easily to the snowy haired vixen. To go on some treacherous sea adventure with a stranger he just met, no, another thief, seemed crazy to her. Wasn’t he a bandit? Didn’t he understand that stealing generally was a no-no just about everywhere? Distrust and thievery go hand in hand. At least, it did for her. His attitude towards the whole thing was certainly new. Anastasia was silent for a while, thinking it over. She might die but that’s a recurring theme in her life so it wasn’t a humongous issue. Sitting around in Port Royal and riling up some drunken men can get boring after a while too. Ah, what the hell. She grinned excitedly.“Alright. You got yourself a deal. It’ll be fun~ Just like grave robbing!”

Anastasia settled on getting comfy. You can sleep anywhere if you’re tired enough. Off went her coat which became a blanket and then her weapon off of its holster which now rested by her side. She liked knowing Desperado was within her reach for whatever situation. She leaned her back against the cool stone walls, resting her head against one of the wooden stilts that kept the ceiling up in this place. You always knew when to wake up when you heard footsteps padding along. Maids and housekeepers always got up before the rich, right? She figured that’s how it went. If everything goes right, tomorrow should be a great day. She hoped so at least. The darkness of the cellar was comforting to her, making its all the more easy for her to drift off. Within seconds, her eyelids grew heavy. “Nighty night, blondie.”

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Zidane’s eyes snapped open. The haze of his nightmare cleared from his restless sleep. He yawned, reaching an arm up to let his gloved hand run back through his hair. His hair was tousled. The ribbon that often bound his golden mane was slung over He felt like his bladder was being crushed by a bottle of wine, but it was the overwhelming urge to piss early morning. He moved to sit up, settling a hand over his abdomen as to not stir the ah, pot. He bumped his head against the small square crevasse he had settled himself in. Looking around he would find his eyes pierced by a stinging bite from the raising sun as he looked toward his left. What time was it? The rouge quickly patted at his hip in search for his holster. The soft chime of the metal of his belts’ buckles and the hilt of his blade contrasted against the silent texture of the leather holster. It was strange how he could still feel even with his gloves on, but he lived the life of a rogue. He shifted his weight so his elbow pressed against the thick, foggy glass. It was cold to the touch, but he had to take a leak and fast. He looked over. He never noticed where the girl hunkered down to sleep. Zidane was the sort capable of falling asleep anywhere at a moment’s notice. Sometimes you only got a small chance to rest and you had to take it. You never know when you would face an enemy. After spotting the girl the rogue felt a bit like a heel having just conking out without finding a more reasonable spot to sleep, but the place had come at her suggestion. Pushing the window open the rogue wiggled his way out. It was almost the break of dawn. It was uncommon for the rogue to succeed in any attempt to wake early, so it was a horrific sight seeing the sun barely a breath over the horizon. Feeling the burn he hurried off to find a spot. While Anastasia slept life stirred about in the manor above. The servants were to prepare for the morning, but they would first need to access the cellar… Outside Zidane was rounding the corner back to the window, but the chatter of a few female servants had nearly drawn him right toward them, but the rogue stopped, jumping back behind the wall and ducking around the corner. Peering around the wall’s corner the thief would spy a pair of lovely young maid carrying empty baskets and buckets. They were likely going to be carrying food from the cellar for break---cellar! The thief looked around, not sure where he could get in to warn Anastasia. His eyes would finally turn upward toward the stone walls of the noble’s home. Zidane didn’t really seem to have a choice in the matter. It was either go big or go home! ...and he really couldn’t do the latter. He would quickly scale the side of the wall. The rogue had to find a quick way inside lest Anastasia suffer the consequences of a few screaming maids. After making his way inside a ‘faulty’ window, the thief made it inside. “Man for nobles they really need better build windows.” he cheekily murmured before running out into the halls. His steps carried him down the twisting paths of the unfamiliar corridors. But that was what the life of an adventurer was all about. It was about finding new places and new roads to travel. His path just happened to be in the home of some noble he was loitering at. But first thing was first! He had to find a way down to Anastasia without getting caught himself. At this hour it seemed everyone was up. Zidane couldn’t find reason why anyone would rouse and such a mad hour. This was a time for birds and Mu, not people. But the fact of the matter was that at the port this was common practice. Dockhands would be up and at it before the sun was even visible over the ocean, and worked long passed its setting. But none of that would really mean a thing if he was caught in a place like this. As he ran across the hall overhead the foyer the boy had to slid to a halt, nearly caught by a gaggle of maids on their rounds. The boy leaned over the banister to spy the way into the cellar from the kitchen, but the maids he had spotted were making their way up the steps. Thinking quickly he ran back and, just before the women made it to the top of the flight: he vaulted over the banister down to the ground floor. Rolling to break his landing he slid into the kitchen. He fumbled behind the center island where they did their cutting. He ducked down as the maids chattered. He wanted to get to the door, but it was all the way at the other end of the kitchen. Now what? Geez.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: Trouble may just find them....

►SKILLS USED: High Jump

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO

[Deleted]

Mornings were never pleasant to the female. The sunlight in your eyes was the worst. The sounds people made and their morning rituals might be worse. Anastasia heard the sound of padding feet along the ceiling of the cellar. The maids were up which meant that she needed to be up too. Finally opening her eyes she could see the window Zidane had placed himself at that night. He wasn’t there. She groaned, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Either he left her or he was coming back. She didn’t know. All she knew was that she couldn’t sleep in. Lazily, she stretched before shrugging her jacket on and hopping off the table. God, she was so hungry and groggy and so many other things. Nobles were so lucky.

Before she could get a chance to make her way towards the exit, she could hear the chatter between the maids getting louder and louder. She cursed in her mind. They’d see her, scream like she’s some kind of rat and make a huge commotion. She just had to leave the house! … But that would be so boring and she was so hungry! She couldn’t just leave this place without some snacks for her and her new friend! Anastasia heard the cellar doors swing open and she hid behind one of the large barrels filled with food. She managed to get her hands on two loaves of bread. Anastasia figured she’d have to go now while the cellar door was open. She moved, trying her best not to make a sound and following the light at the entrance. If they were in the cellar, maybe they weren’t in the kitchen and there’d be food!

When she reached the entrance, she looked back to make sure they maids were still busy before finding the door they came from. She wouldn’t notice Zidane scaling the wall but she ran around the house looking for an open door or a window. “Zidane!” She whispered, looking around her to see if he was around. What if he was in the house!? He might have wanted to get supplies too! Ah that cheeky boy! He was a smart ferret that one!! Already one step ahead of her! Now she was more determined than ever. Grinning wickedly, Anastasia looked for a way in until she decided she can pry a window open. Or try to. She’d keep it to the first floor, taking Desperado out and using the sickle-like blade like a crowbar, digging into the windowsills and doing her best to force it open as quietly as she could. She pushed aside the curtains and stuck her head inside to make sure no one was around. Quickly, she crawled inside with bread in hand and headed over to the kitchen doorway to see both maids back, preparing breakfast and… Zidane hiding behind the island. Oh boy..

First things first, she had to get to him. After that, who knows! Anastasia was just making it up as she goes along. This situation was pretty bad. When they hand their backs turned, she lowered herself and quickly moved herself to the bandits side, sitting beside him. “Hi.” she whispered to him, passing him a loaf of bread. “We’re gonna be in so much trouble~” she snickered, moving a hand to cover her mouth. “Any ideas?” She motioned her head to the window she pried open earlier “I opened a window over there if you wanna try that.” She poked her head to the side of the island and quickly pulled it back. “I’m gonna try that.” she crouched. "Unless you have a better plan?"

Tags: Zidane

[Deleted]

Jovial Prince of Thieves Zidane found himself stuck in a pickle. He had to get into the cellar and break Anastasia out, but he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. At least he hadn't been spotted yet. Zidane wasn't one of the stealthiest of bandits and had a distinct loudness to him that couldn't be ignored. His back was pressed against the wooden cutting table and his wrists rest over his knees. The women fluttered about the kitchen. They stoked the fires and cackled like headless chickens. The clattering pans and shuffling feet caused his tail to twitch and stir. The sandy limb lay curled close to him as his head was tilted toward the side to better hear their movements. Blue eyes drew about the cluttered environment searching for objects to best duck behind. But as he plotted his motions, a new pair of feet caused him to look up. Spotting Anastasia she would traverse through the wings of the maids, to his side. The boy offered a cheeky smirk and motioned his fingers in a lazy manner. "And here I was going to bring you breakfast in bed." He joked. Though now wasn't the time for jokes. "But I rather not crash breakfast without some of my own." He eagerly accepted Anastasia's offering. Biting into the bread the boy's table manners were quite obvious. The street urchin stuffed his cheek greedily and peered around their hiding spot. They had one chance to make a break for it. Looking straight around he will catch sight of a bowl of fruit on top of the preparation area. Winking at Anastasia he would use his dagger to increase his arm's reach and stab an apple. Sitting back he would casually begin to peel it. "I'm not one for sweet stuff." He offered Anastasia a piece before hurling the rest back until it landed in the cooking pot, that was brimming with oatmeal, with a plunk. "Also that apple was oddly shaped like an Ooglop." If Anastasia didn't know what an Ooglop was, more power to her. The maids were not so lucky. Ooglop were giant insects and the screams that ran from their lips was a great help as they fled from their stations. Zidane thrust his thumb back toward a window over the stove. "We should run." An action to be quickly taken. The nimble rogue hopped over the preparation area and made a beeline for the window. Pushing it out he would quickly drop into the yard and roll across the grass. With a smooth motion she would flip on his feet and slide to a stop. All this work really left him hungry. It was definitely time to head back to the docks. While they idled away playing break in and it, back at Port Royal a new expedition was heading out. It seemed they were looking for a few hands brave enough to cross the murky, icy waters this time of year. With a promise to hold a chance to visit Davy Jones himself, he possibility of the reward of pay for joining the crew outweighed the chance of death for some.

►TAGS: @anastasia~!

►NOTES: Waiter, there's an Ooglop in my oatmeal.

►SKILLS USED: Flee~!

CODED BY ELECTRIC OF GANGNAM STYLE; EDITED BY OUREX DRACO