one-man rise in crime

[Aethon Kassis]

The narrow market paths were teeming with people today with the midmorning sun high above attempting to warm the frigid lands below it. To try and beat the cold, his face was shielded by his hood, helping him go unnoticed by all who passed. It was a welcome change from his home where he was very well known (and not necessarily in a good way). Here, in a new land, barely anyone knew his name, and he was hoping it remained that way. He figured he wouldn't be in Teronna very long, and perhaps he would visit again some day.

Aethon could be no one here. However, considering he a man of very little money (in other words: no money at all), he had to survive somehow. He was just a peasant idly perusing the apple selection, smelling the scent of freshly baked bread in the air. His stomach immediately rumbled, and Aethon was quite aware that he was going to have to chance this a third time.

Something stopped him, though. Seeing a small boy eyeing the cart with a pair of desperate, hungry eyes, he grinned and, after a glance around, "accidentally" bumped into a basket of apples, sending them tumbling. Catching one, he flicked it to the child with a wink. No sooner did the boy grin in return when a bellowing voice broke through the clamor of the market. "THIEF!" Well, so much for his stealthy skills.

The boy, ever quick, had already vanished into the crowd. Aethon, ever used to trouble, caught sight of a passing cart and grabbed hold of it, swinging himself up into the cloud of dust left in its wake. He was still laughing when he saw the vendor, face all red with anger from screaming after him, huffing and giving up on his chase. Of course, that didn't stop him from calling for any guards nearby, and the Akasian had to roll his eyes.

Even when trying to be somewhat charitable, he got into trouble. He was a magnet for it, it seemed.

As the cart continued to roll down the cobblestone street, Aethon's eyes averted to one of the alleyways where he caught sight of the boy with the biggest grin on his face. He couldn't help but wonder if he was mocking him...and when the kid took a big bite of the delicious fruit and blatantly waved it in gesture, Aethon got his answer.

Still, it was hard not to laugh.

[ Noelle Kingsley ]

[Noelle Kingsley]

Noelle wasn’t much of a social person, but after being stuck on a ship for long periods of time, she liked to escape into the crowds, people watch and stretch her legs a bit. It had been a while since they had been in Teronna, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last, and there was something about the land that drew her in. It was beautiful and mysterious.

Knowing that her brother hated her venturing off on her own, she waited until he was fully occupied in his work, that he wouldn’t notice her leaving the ship. For a while, she wandered the streets, blending in with the crowd, her bright green eyes scanning and taking everything in.

Despite the large crowds swarming through the streets, nothing too exciting was happening, which she supposed was a good thing--but she was bored. After helping herself to some bakery items, going undetected in her stealthiness, she found her way on top of a building, sitting over the edge to watch from above.

It was at that moment, that she noticed the commotion of the spilling apples, the vendor calling out thief and yelling out. At first, she panicked for the briefest of a moment, that someone had caught her and was calling her out, but then she saw Aethon making his escape and finding his way up to where she was. She followed his gaze down to the smiling boy with the apple, and she couldn’t help but quietly snicker at the scene.

After a moment, she finally spoke out, attempting to get the man’s attention. “I guess that’s what you get for trying to help others…” She smirked and shrugged her shoulders, “looks like you could use some lessons on how to steal without being caught…”

[Aethon Kassis]

Maybe he shouldn't have been laughing as the guards began to run after the cart, clearly unable to keep up...but he was. Of course, that is, until one of them called and forced the driver to stop, and the old man drew it to a sudden halt.

Aethon nearly fell off, panicking for only a moment before leaping to the nearest building, using the open windows for leverage to climb up towards the roof. He was in the midst of drawing himself up when he heard a voice over the sound of shouting down below.

It was a young woman, seated there casually, and she nearly surprised him. Okay, in truth, he did startle a bit and almost lost his footing, but eventually pulled himself up with ease.

"Honor amongst thieves...as they say," he spoke quickly before glancing over his shoulder to where the boy had been. "But not always, I suppose." That little brat, but Aethon supposed he wasn't much different at that age.

"Get them!" one of the guards yelled from below.
Them? Oh, it would seem like they now thought Noelle was an accomplice, and as this dawned on him, he flashed her that large, dimpled grin. "Looks like you could give me those lessons now, huh?" Considering it sounded as if she was claiming she could do better.

He wasn't stopping to see if she'd follow or take her chances with the guards if they got her, because he was always on the move again- rushing across the roof as the guards below began to surround the building with a couple making their way inside. Calculating the distance, Aethon made the chance to leap across to the adjacent building that sat just a little bit lower; falling into a roll before getting back up to his feet.

Wow, all of this for an apple?