[Fin] A Growing Bias [Lucca]

[Esfiel]

Having just gotten off of work, Aima was beat and ready to go to home. Usually she'd go straight to her lab, but lately she took more to resting. It irritated her the way her broken leg made her rest. At least they'd let her be a hostess until her leg was healed, then she'd go back to waitressing. She showed her thanks by doing the best job she could, smiling and entertaining everyone. The result was a crash when she finally got home.

Well, at least she was moving along in her research...

Somewhere far off Aima heard a woman yelling, but she paid no attention to it. There were always those loud people in the Capital, and after awhile one just got used to it. It wasn't her business, anyway, nor did she want to be a busy body. She'd learned her lesson well!

She was rounding a corner when someone ran clear into her. She landed on the ground a few feet behind from where she'd previously stood, disoriented. What in Suits was that? The next thing she knew some canine was helping her stand, apologizing and handing her her modified crutches, and then the moment she seemed to have her balance took off running.

How bizarre. Mumbling rude comments she achingly continued on. As she walked the yelling got louder, but still she continued on. Someone must be really mad to be yelling like that at this time of night. Didn't she consider the people who were tired? It wasn't until Aima was close enough to the lady who was now yelling things related to her that Aima stopped to listen.

"Over there! The one with the thing in her head! She's got it!" shrilled the lady.

Me? Got what? She blinked and then suddenly realize she had something new she didn't have a few moments ago. It was a heavy pouch hanging from one of the crouches. When...? "Oh Suits!" she cursed, realizing what she'd just walked in to.

[Lucca]

"All right, Ma'am, please calm down," a gruff voice cut above the hysterical screaming. A white form seemed to materialize out of the night, dressed in the garb of a police officer. His hooves made a very odd, echoey sound as he walked over towards Aima, pink eyes assessing her coolly.

"Miss, I'm afraid I'll have to put you under arrest, for theft," he said to her, standing so that his badge was clearly shone in the light from a nearby street lamp. "If you would kindly give the woman her purse back, then come along with me to the station for questioning."

He looked at her coldly, waiting. The gruff, calm demeanor of the officer belied his inner exhaustion. He was so close to the answer on the case of the petty thieves...he wasn't even technically on duty right now, as he'd been on his way back from the station after a long night (actually several long nights...he was pushing the limits of his Club abilities again) and had actually been on his way home to his small apartment when...well...the hysterical screaming of the woman had assaulted him. And she wouldn't leave him alone, even though if this girl was the thief (and not faking her broken leg) than she could have gotten her own purse back easily. Aberforth would have loved his job so much more if it weren't for the -people-.

[Esfiel]

Aima's entire body went cold from multiple sensations, all of which unpleasant. For a moment she didn't even know how to react to it, other than stand there perfectly still, staring at what had just come before her. The lady may have been screaming hysterically about her stolen money, money Aima herself hadn't actually stolen, but Aima wanted to scream just because of her luck!

Why a Tugley?

Why?

Not only that, but the way he seemed to just appear out of no where, or the chilling sound of the way he walked. Then just like the other Tugley she met (whom she refused to think about by name, if she found herself thinking of her at all) he had that seem creepy, disturbing aura. What was this? If she had to be framed, busted, and arrested, couldn't it be by someone else? Maybe the police force was trying to frighten citizens into behaving by employing his kind, but why were so many seeming to leave the Woods in the first place? Either way, this was beyond cruel.

Then he told her he was going to return the pouch and that she was going to be arrested. Brilliant. This was swell. She violently undid the pouch from her crutch and tossed it at the woman, looked at the goat right in the eyes and said. "Does it have to be you who arrests me?"

[Lucca]

The reaction he got from the Pine Martin, the flicker of fear he saw in her eyes...these were nothing new. A number of people seemed to find the company of Tulgies disturbing. But that suited him just fine, since he didn't usually want their company anyway. Unfortunately, it sometimes made his job a lot harder...and this was apparently one of those times. His ears flicked back at her statement, and his gaze hardened a bit, but his voice was still the same, flat tone, laced with his heavy accent, when he replied.

"As the officer who happen to be on the scene, yes, it does have to be me. Come along now, please." He wasn't going to make any silly reassurances to the girl, at least not in earshot of the hysterical woman (who was still yelling even though she had her purse back now. Dark, how annoying.) After all, it was wise to not trust someone upon first meeting them, and wiser to never really fully trust anyone at all. Aberforth didn't trust the Martin, although...he also didn't think she'd really stolen the purse. But he wasn't going to bring that up just yet.

He began to walk back the way he'd come, to the Police Station. He kept a close eye, to make sure the girl was following, and also to see whether she was faking her broken leg or not. That would really be what settled this case, since there was no way she could have stolen the purse if her leg was really broken.

[Esfiel]

Watching his ears flick back and he gaze that seemed to narrow on her, she felt like she'd said something extremely stupid. Then again, she knew she had as it popped out of her mouth, but she really hadn't been able to stop it. Aima knew he could see her shrinking before his gaze. What a coward she was! But then, Tugley's were frightening, she had a broken leg, and she was being arrested. Maybe she had the right to be scared.

When he told her that it had to be him, she wasn't surprised. She hadn't really expected for him to find someone else to arrest her. Asking the question had just made her feel a bit more at ease for a moment, as though she actually had a say or power to control a situation that was spiraling downward. The screaming woman wasn't helping at all. She had her money, the "thief" was arrested, couldn't she go away?

Aima was starting to get a headache, and then she noticed that the goat was walking away. He hadn't bounded her hands with cuffs or anything. It was just, 'come along' and that was it. Maybe he didn't need to worry about it. Maybe he had some strange Tugley power that would harm her the moment she refused to comply or follow.

Or maybe it's because you have a broken leg, you daft git, she scolded herself. Did he really think it was broken, or would he have her take the cast off? The later could prove a problem. She hadn't made her cast to be taken off with the intent of putting it back on afterwards. She'd been too worried about messing up her leg more. The tube didn't slice through the skin the first time it broke, but she didn't want to take any chances.

The martin started to hobble after the goat, walking to the best of her ability with the case and crutches. She wasn't going to try to keep up. If he wanted to walk fast and leave her behind fine. It wasn't her fault that she was incapable of walking quickly.

[Lucca]

If the girl was hoping he'd leave her behind, she was set to be disappointed. As soon as Aberforth noted the walking speed of his captive, he slowed down to a pace just slightly faster than hers was. After all, he already had to be working much later than he wanted...what was a few additional minutes? Maybe he could just spend most of tomorrow sleeping. There were some upsides to having no social life, when it came down to it.

He made it a careful point to watch her out of the corner of his eye, looking for a sign that she truly wasn't faking...perhaps a wince if she accidentally bumped her cast...a trip over a loose cobblestone that she had more trouble recovering from than a normal quadruped...anything that might give him a clue.

Even at the Martin's slow pace, it would be a matter of minutes before they were in sight of the police station. Aberforth stopped for a moment, ghostly sound of his hooves ceasing, as he realized a new problem...the stairs leading up to the front of the building would present a major problem for anyone with a broken leg. Then again, she had some very strange crutches, so maybe she could wing it? He'd have to chance it, and if the girl complained or objected, he'd figure something else out. He started up the stairs, expecting his charge to follow or to say she could not.

[Esfiel]

Aima wasn't left behind, something she was quite sorry for. The more they walked the more her nerves rose. Why couldn't he walk like normal without that eerie sound? Maybe he couldn't control it, and even if he could he probably enjoyed what it did to other people. Suddenly Aima was stuck with a sudden question. How many people actually befriended people from Tugley Woods? Mr. McDuck hadn't counted, the crazy creature was his maid and he seemed to treat her as such. Maybe they only befriended others from their region, though they'd probably get along smashingly with some of the people from Golfam Marsh.

I need to meet people from more cheerful regions. As she walked she didn't stumble or fall. While he was watching for signs of her really having a broken leg, she wasn't. She didn't think to allow it to make her stumble or fall over. Her concern was quite the opposite. She didn't want to hurt herself more.

When the police station came into view she sighed. The sun would probably be up before she got home. What an upsetting thought. Unlike the goat she hadn't noticed the problem of the stairs until she was met with them and he had already started up. Was he serious? Stubbornly she stopped at the bottom. It was time to grow a backbone! She would not be the victim of another Tugley! Policeman or not, fear or not. "I seem to have problem.." she commented instead, looking quite sheepish. So much for growing a spine...

If it had been someone else arresting her she may have attempted to go up using her crutches, but in this case she really just wanted to complain or sleep. Maybe getting arrested wasn't so bad. If they put her in a cell at least she could get some sleep already, but that was after she figured out this stair issue.

[Lucca]

Aberforth was...not happy with how very...normal the Martin's walking pattern was. How was he supposed to tell anything when she walked just like anyone would--well, anyone with crutches who knew how to be careful. His paranoia was telling him it was a sure sign she was faking, but his common sense proclaimed how ridiculous that was. Where would she have gotten the crutches to pretend she was lame? Unless her ultimate goal was to go around pretending to have a broken leg so she could steal money and then look innocent, which struck the Goat as far too weird and complicated, especially for a Spade (which he'd noted she was) who could just run off with their ability. Then again, he'd met plenty of people who did stupid or complicated things for no discernible logical reason.

When she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Aberforth turned. He had two courses of action, here, the first being to take her around to the back entrance (which would, in the end, be faster and perhaps more fitting for his station) or...he could test her a bit. The latter was chosen, unfortunately for the girl. "Are you incapable of ascending the stairs for some reason?" he asked, voice low and perfectly level. His cold, calculating, but not openly hostile pink eyes watched her closely for a reaction. If she insisted that she couldn't climb them because of her broken leg, well, he'd take her around to the back. But if her pride made her try to climb them herself, well, then he'd really see the truth.

[Esfiel]

Some of her face went red despite the blue fur she had, which was quite an accomplishment really. Aima didn't often get angry, and she didn't often hate people. In this case she was more than willing to make an exception, not just for this blasted goat but for everyone from that region.

She'd show him and Mrs. White, she decided. The fact that Mrs. White wasn't actually there and had no idea what was going on was irrelevant. She could just imagine how amused both of them were with making someone with a broken leg walk up the stairs!

There was no way he didn't notice the problem. She could see it in his cold, intelligent gaze. Suits be damned if she'd say no! "Oh, no, of course not," she replied almost sarcastically, and put a crutch on the first stair. Now she saw the problem in a whole new perspective. How would she do this? She stepped onto the stair with her good leg and used that strength to life the next one up and bring the rest of her up awkwardly.

One down... she glanced up the stairs. There was certainly a lot. She smiled at the goat as though to say, see? I can do it! before looking back down at the next stair. She'd try this one a different way. This time she put both crutches on the next stair, locking them in the corner of the stair and wall. Doing this she placed her good leg up on the stair and then lifted it up. This seemed to work much better! Another stair went by and then another. Before she knew it she was half way up the stairs and continuing without a worry.

That confidence and increase speed, however, was what proved to be her downfall. She was so determined to get up those stairs to show the world she could do it that carelessness crept up on her. When she went to lock the crutches she didn't slide them over enough to really lock. When she stepped up the crutches slide, causing her to go off-balance and tilt backwards.

Aima made a high pitched squeaking noise that may have been the beginning of a scream that was unable to come out proporly. She let go of the crutches, which clattered and crashed all the way back down the stairs. Aima meanwhile flailed as she went backwards, managing to twisted herself so she was facing the railing and reached for it. Only one hand managed to latch on, causing her to whip around and have her back hit the wall.

There she hung for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain in her back and stretched out arm. Slowly she forced herself to bend that arm to make herself upright and not diagonal. She winced as she struggled to put both her feet back on a stair to safety.

She had to clench her teeth before she could manage any words. so she wouldn't gain the offense of threatening an officer... something she was still trying to convince herself that it just wasn't worth it. "Do you want me to drag myself up using this railing next?" she hissed.

[Lucca]

Aberforth's ears went back as the girl took what he thought was a tone that was quite uncalled for, and he frowned slightly, breaking his neutral expression. He watched as she made the attempt to get up the stairs. How incredibly foolish. But the Goat found himself hard-pressed to be surprised by this act of supreme idiocy, as many Cards seemed weak to such a vice, their own pride being their downfall every time. This time it might be literal.

As Aima slipped on the stairs, Aberforth's expression didn't flicker. A more feeling Card would have been concerned...he was not, however. He merely cataloged the situation with the same detached interest he'd read over a case file of a crime that was committed over a year ago that he had not been present for. He was...certainly somewhat glad the Pine Martin didn't get seriously injured, in the same way he might be glad when his favorite bowl survived a fall from the shelf.

"Now, Miss, I never wanted you to climb the stairs in the first place, and if you weren't able to do so, you should have mentioned it," he said calmly, though inwardly he was slightly put off by her tone again. As if it were anyone's fault but her own stubbornness she had answered his question dishonestly. "Remain where you are, and I will help you the rest of the way up the stairs." He walked back down to where she was, offering her his shoulder to lean on. Her crutches, he would collect for her once she was safely on the landing.

At least, he thought with some satisfaction, he could now be sure she wasn't faking her broken leg. If she had the pride not to ask for help, she had the pride to not let herself show weakness unless it was really there.