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Post by Lucca on Nov 12, 2009 19:23:16 GMT -5
 It was a fairly straight forward assignment, as the Goat saw it. Find these two low rate crooks, subdue them, and bring them back to the station. It should be easy, except for the fact that he had realized at some point along the way that he really possessed few skills that would actually be helpful in the job he'd just decided to sign up for. But he wasn't going to let a little detail like that bother him. One thing he did have was a good head for numbers, and also for small, easily overlooked details. If one ran their own buisiness for several years, one should have those qualities to be successful. After looking over the file for the case, and then doing further investigation through some of the related police reports for past incidents, he had decided to go the direct route: going straight to the scene of the crime. He had noticed several reports of theft all taking place near one particular area, and though he couldn't be sure they were the same thieves as those he was looking for (though he knew at least one of them was) he figured it was as good a place to start as any. One glance at the area in question, and it became immediately clear why it was such a target. A street that led between two fairly 'safe' areas of the Capital, but dangerously close to one of the more shady areas, and with several suspicious looking alleys between the tall buildings that lined the left side. ((ooc: it's a police thread thing...I can play by myself, but honestly if someone wants to jump in I wouldn't mind. XD;; It will be a fairly short thread though.)) [1/15] |
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Post by Lucca on Nov 13, 2009 9:20:01 GMT -5
Aberforth had decided to come at night. For one thing, he was more likely to run into useful information, and less likely to run into random civilians. For another, he felt more at home when it was dark. Perhaps it reminded him more of home this way...of the place so deep into Tulgey Wood that even during the day, sunlight could barely reach through the thick cover of trees over his head. It was only the long habit and the faint, greenish-tinted light that indicated when it was safe to go outside, though that deep in, even residents wandering during day light hours had to be careful. Sometimes, an impatient predator wouldn't bother to wait until the cover of full darkness made the shadows so deep one could barely see the path beneath their own hooves...That, and Aberforth would take all the horrors of Tulgey over the harmful, and much more trickily dangerous, deceit of Cards.
While his thoughts strayed towards home, the Goat was searching, pink eyes roving every corner, the cloak he was wearing over his police uniform to keep out the chill billowing out behind him. His hooves echoing oddly on the pavement. Which was another thing stacked against him: he could never be very stealthy this way. Suddenly, he thought he heard a noise, and he paused, ears flicking forward to try and catch...there!
He turned, toward one of those alleys, in time to see a flash of red. He doubted it was one of the criminals he was looking for, but something was telling him to investigate anyway. He tensed for a moment, and then leaped toward the spot, landing just in time to see the whatever-it-was dart off down the alley. He gave chase, running as fast as he could, praying that whatever he was chasing wasn't a damn Spade...
[2/15]
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Post by Lucca on Nov 13, 2009 15:22:33 GMT -5
His hooves making a louder version of that odd, echoey noise instead of the loud clatter one might expect from a Goat running on cobblestones, Aberforth gave chase down the alley. He knew he was on the right track, since he'd specifically seen the creature enter here, and he kept a sharp eye to the side to make sure there was no other easy path his quarry could take. His ears were strained forward as much as possible, trying to make out anything he would be able to hear over that eerie sound, but the alley seemed rather quiet otherwise. Though he thought he caught the faintest sound of panting ahead.
His focus was so single-minded that it was with a surprised, rather undignified sound that he suddenly saw a barrier of stone -right in front of him-, and drew up quickly, nearly tripping over his hooves in his sudden throwing of the brakes, so to speak. Now that was rather embarassing...shaking his head and frowning, Aberforth looked around him quickly, trying to see where the one he'd been chasing had gone.
There were several trash cans, a few boxes, and a lot of trash, but no sign of anything living, except perhaps a few non-sentient rats skittering about. His ears flattened. Had he lost the chase somewhere along the way? Or, worse yet...he glanced up, squinting at the silhouettes of buildings and streetlights, with just a few stars visible in the sky above. Had his quarry been a Diamond or some other type of flying creature?
He thought he heard a sound, and he froze, turning his head slowly toward a large pile of boxes and junk close to the alley's end and on his left. Well, no one around to risk looking like a fool to, not that he generally cared what people thought of him anyway. "Hello? Is someone there? Why don't you come out?" he called, and realizing it came out harsher than intended..."I'm not going to hurt you."
[3/15]
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 13, 2009 15:53:53 GMT -5
 Wearing the body of a feline Morganberry he'd watched be run over by a carriage nearly a decade ago, Jak was sniffing around the shadier parts of the city in search of any magical or otherwise suspisiously edible or wearable items he might find laying around. It was a pasttime of sorts, scavenging for discarded enchantments, and it kept him busy when his brother didn't feel particularly sociable. And then somebody showed up! The shape-changed Joker moved jumpily around a corner. The kinds of people who came into these alleys generally weren't the sorts he wanted to interact with unless he needed something in particular. Which he didn't just then, thanks. But they were totally chasing him, and closing in on his trashy little hideout. Should he go the harmless route or the intimidating route? Better to play it safe at first. He changed himself into an itty bitty dormouse with its animal form, a Kahmden with a floppy, bedraggled mane and a few scars on its back as if it had seen the wrong end of a lash more than once. He'd had a good chat with its original owner about two years ago during her time in the city. He'd helped her find food. It had been a good day. If the sympathy card didn't work on this body, it wouldn't work on anything. Just to be safe, he also turned into a girl. Yarrows could be awfully tetchy otherwise and he didn't know who was out there. "B- but what if you are?" he whimpered in a high-pitched, tremulous voice. It was as pathetic as he could make it on command. Carefully, he poked out no more than the tip of his little whiskered nose. |
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Post by Lucca on Nov 13, 2009 17:11:57 GMT -5
Ah, an answer! A very timid, high-pitched answer. Was this a child, then? One of the urchins that he knew ran about in the city, alone and without the protection of a guardian? A normal Card may have felt sympathy, may have been deeply moved by the plight of an orphan, but the Goat was beyond feeling much of anything for anyone, except perhaps pity over how the cruelties of life had affected a poor lost soul much as they had he himself. Even then, he was entirely too mistrustful of even the most innocent-seeming of other individuals, especially if they were out here, in this dark place, at night, to think they were exactly what they seemed.
Still, it sounded frightened, and though he wasn't about to take chances, he needed information, so he shelved his innate paranoia. Turning, and letting his ears fall back and his eyes soften into what he hoped was a friendly expression (though it probably just looked weird on his hard contenance) he moved slightly toward the voice, noticing a small nose peeking out. "Then I would swiftly lose my job," he said evenly, shifting somewhat so that his cloak fell away from his chest, and might reveal the shine of his badge of office in the dim light.
"I promise you, I'm not here to look for trouble, just information." He frowned a bit, mind working quickly. He'd need to get good at thinking on his feet in situations like these if he wanted to advance at all in this job. It was possible that this little street urchin knew something, and questioning it was at any rate a good idea. Maybe it had even heard of the thieves in question, if he was very lucky.
"I'm not going to take you anywhere you don't want to go, or ask you personal questions, but if you help me..." He paused, briefly thinking how he could get into someone's good will. Someone who was alone, scared, homeless...ah! "If you help me then I'll go and buy you a nice hot meal." That should hopefully do the trick.
[4/15]
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 13, 2009 18:22:23 GMT -5
Jak had shifted just enough so that the side of his mousey face and one brilliantly red eye could peer out of the gloom.
Ooh, was that shiny? A bit more of his head shoved its way out before quickly jerking back a few inches in a very rodent-like gesture. It did this a few more times before the entire little head stuck out from beneath the box. He had fun watching different species move sometimes. Mice and rats and things were jerky.
He listened without saying anything, his eyes on the badge that he finally recognized as part of a police getup. Hooboy. He had little actual fear of police, especially since he could just turn into someone else after ducking around a corner, but there was always a touch of caution. He used to steal things a lot. Cops were a problem. Sometimes. Sort of.
This one had just offered to buy him food, though!!!
The Joker had a strong sense of self-preservation, but also a strong sense of food-motivation. And approval-motivation. And happiness-motivation. He was a very motivated person in general. His bright eyes visibly lit up at the offer.
"Oh! Yes! Sure! I'll help you!" the feminine little voice squeaked.
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Post by Lucca on Nov 13, 2009 18:47:08 GMT -5
It was a bit...dizzying, almost, the way the little head kept poking back out and in of its hiding spot like a small, nervous cuckoo clock. But he kept his steady pink gaze on the little thing. At least it had a proper sense of caution, then again he wasn't sure most without that would survive even one night on the streets of the Capital. In their own way, they were just as dangerous as being out at night in the Wood. Except that danger had a more innocent face at times. His face twitched into the closest estimation of a smile he could muster as his offer brought about the desired effect. "I appreciate that." Now he could really get started!
He moved just slightly closer to the little mouse, noting that it appeared to be female and from Khamden. Good, then it would be less likely to lie. At least, he hoped so. He stood straighter, eyes taking on an extra glint as he got ready to conduct business. "I'm on the trail of a few thieves, and I need to know if you've ever seen them or know anything about them. Their names are Pintel and Ragetti, and they're both from Corvistowne..." A moment of silence while he awkwardly rummaged with one hoof in his jacket, finally bringing out the wanted poster and holding it in his mouth for her to see. He gestured at the sketches of the two on it, hoping it would convey what he wanted to without him having to speak, as that was made difficult when you had something in your mouth.
[5/15]
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 14, 2009 10:58:09 GMT -5
Ohh, so this cop was very definitely investigating someone else. Great! Fantastic! He even had pictures! That was fine. The little rodent body darted out from under the boxes and stared at the awkwardly held paper.
"Oh, hey, I know them," Jak squeaked in pleased surprise. Living on the streets since he was six and poking his nose around often where it didn't belong had resulted in a wide range of contacts. Some were more savory - or more fun - than others. "The weasel's a lot nicer. He gave me half his sandwich." He'd been wearing the skin of a pitiful young weasel at the time, of course, to garner maximum sympathy. It often helped if you were of the same species, except in rare occasions.
They were definitely criminals, though. He'd watched them steal. Once, and only once, he'd even helped them take something. Or rather, he'd been going for the same thing and had served as an effective distraction for their own efforts. "Whaddid they do this time?"
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Post by Lucca on Nov 14, 2009 14:14:49 GMT -5
An odd, unfamiliar feeling rushed through him at the little squeak, and it took Aberforth a minute to identify it: satisfaction. Yes, he was actually...feeling oddly warm and fuzzy that he managed to do something -right-. And for him, this was a very odd sensation indeed. His eyes shone slightly, which would be the only outward sign of his...happiness? That may have been too strong a word. He carefully dropped the sheet of paper so he could speak.
"Wonderful! If you have any idea of where they might be, I really need to confront them and take them in for questioning." His ears perked straight at attention, and one hoof tapped the ground as he continued to look at the little girl with a fervor that might have scared her...had 'she' actually been the timid little thing she looked like. "Oh, more petty thefts. And I'm not going to hurt them, just bring them in to the station," he added, to assure her in case she still felt some good will towards them. The sandwich comment also reminded him of his promise.
"Come on, I think there's a 24-hour cafe this way...we can talk more on the way and then I'll buy you whatever you like to eat." And it would be far more than a half sandwich. He started off at a brisk pace, though not too fast, since he wanted her to keep up. Still, as soon as he got the barest hint of a lead, he'd be eager to pursue it. He could socialize for business if he needed to, but it wasn't something he relished.
[6/15]
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Post by The Jenn on Nov 18, 2009 18:41:26 GMT -5
Whether the goat hurt them or not wasn't much of Jak's concern, though of course he'd prefer that nobody got hurt and everyone got to be happy and whole and content. That was ideal.
But he would settle for a free meal, whatever the outcome. Even if he didn't know much of anything about where they might be, just where they'd been. If that helped the cop then great. If it didn't, he wouldn't say much until after he'd eaten. He made a few appropriately eager and squeaky noises while following along behind the goat.
Oh. And eat he did. For such a tiny little frame, he packed away two dinners masquerading as "a sandwich", their meatloaf special being one he was well familiar with. One gigantic slab of meaty mixture on two pieces of crusty, only slightly stale toast, slathered with gravy - gravy!!! - and surrounded by a cheap, delicious mashed potato lake.
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