Ash 28, 4621¤
"You met a what in a hedge maze?"
Asked Izul while smoking a cigar on Pogma's porch, she offered the smoke to Miki who chiefed on it impatiently. She coughed from a dry drag and shoved it back in Izul's hands.
"No, I really think she was the real deal. She was a gnome. I swear I'm not on anything, I'm going to do this weird trinket thing and try to find her in her next hideout."
Izul laughed, it was rich and deep.
"Fine honey, go on your adventure. But when you come back empty handed don't look at me cross. Not to mention, stealing objects from an Entente's yard cannot be easy or she would do it herself. Is that considered theft or vandalism, ah theft likely. Petty but still. You're not getting out of this one unscathed."
Miki was frustrated with her and it was obvious, she pouted as if she were being scolded by her mother.
"Listen you don't need to make me feel infantile. We're in this together I thought. This is a lead, I promise you, I'm telling you, I actually have a good feeling about this."
Izul's eyebrow perked up at that, but she said nothing only nodded. It could be like pulling teeth talking to the overly optimistic Izul but in the end when she spoke it was often the truth. She tried shaking the warning off as if putting it back in her mind would stave off the inevitable.
~~~
Now Miki was on the prowl and waiting for night to fall so she could sneak into the appropriate noble's yard and steal the statue. She paced the block and then made a big loop around. The streets here were watched and manned by Valran at all hours. It would be perhaps out of Miki's realms to snag the item but she would try anyway at least once. Finally when night had fallen Miki saw the last of the candle light go out in the home, they were either in bed or out for the night. Whatever nobles did in Amoren, forsooth. Their yard was small, they were clearly not the wealthiest Entente family, and their yard was completely surrounded by a hedge. Upon closer inspection not only a hedge but iron bars hidden between the leaves as fencing. It could be scaled, but what would she find on the other side?
She shook the iron slightly but it would not budge. As well, she couldn't spend too much time either messing around in public lest she attract the wrong attention to herself. As if that was hard. Without thinking about what she may find on the other side Miki looked up and down the empty street before scaling the fence awkwardly and falling flat on the other side. She was scratched up and while her body ached but she was really no more worse for wear than before. Above her loomed a large horse made from the hedges and as her eyes took in the scene in front of her she saw the entire garden was filled with foliage styled into various animals. Even with Miki's little sense of style she found the entire thing incredibly tacky.
~~~
She snuck through the small garden looking for her charge. It was a small orb of pure black, she was told that it would be beside the wind chimes. Which in hindsight seemed like it would make it easier to find but in reality not a single wind blew this night, the garden was silent save for the sound of porcelain crashing from what Miki assumed was the kitchen. Likely the maids cleaning up from dinner, she hoped they were too busy gossiping to come outside. That was when she heard a stray note ringing through the air. There right beside the back veranda was not only the wind chimes but the orb which she was told to procure.
It was almost her knee jerk reaction to rush out from her hiding spot and grab the orb but she held back and with good reason. Right then from the backdoor came a young man in a black outfit. Beside him were two doberman and the dogs sniffed the air before snuffling on the ground and heading into the yard.
'Fucking great.'
She was not pleased with this situation. Guard dogs. As if anyone other than her would be crazy enough to sneak into their hideous backyard. The shaped foliage twisted above her, menacing and tacky. These people had money, this wouldn't end well if she was caught.
Miki stayed frozen where she was behind a large parrot shaped bush as the dogs made their way in their yard.
"Yeah you boys can have the steak tonight. It wasn't rare enough for our master but I cannot suffer to eat a steak that still has its moo. You guys aren't so picky. I'll be back!"
Miki peeked out for a moment to watch the man head back inside. The dogs watched him but then resumed their wandering, one of them laid down directly beside the orb and huffed.
'Oh fuck this.'
Miki couldn't stand it anymore. She was starting to feel impatient. Though to her poor credit it was her fault for rushing out without scoping the area first. Had she known there were dogs she would have brought a distraction in order to win their favor. It was an old trick but a piece of meat would always satiate a hungry, angry dog. It was her fault for not asking for details and just traipsing in an Entente's yard. She could possibly be beheaded for this, couldn't she?
After worrying to herself for some time eventually the man came back and fed the dogs steak, eggs, and rice. This all happened directly beside the orb which she needed to grab.
'Of course.'
She thought while gritting her teeth. Her body ached from the tension she was putting on it to stay still and calm. Sweat from clenching her muscles was beginning to form on her brow, her arms were tired. In a stupid move she sat back on her haunches.
"Squeaaaakkk!"
Came the noise from beneath her. Pulling the object out from under her bottom she was faced with a dog toy, that was when she realized too late she needed to move. Both dogs were running straight for her, barking at the top of their lungs and drooling everywhere. All slavering jaws and sharp white teeth. That was when a black piece of cloth draped around Miki, cutting off her field of view and trapping her. She fought with it but found no resistance and moments later when she came from beneath the blanket the dogs were gone. Instead of attacking her they were barking and leaping at the other side of the hedge-wrung fence.
Miki was bewildered but wrapped the cloth around her like a cloak, that was when it clicked. The square of cloth was just big enough for her to cover herself completely, giving her a slight disguise. She was nearby and giving a helping hand, but for what angle Miki wasn't sure. Instead of focusing on that though she made her way into the open area of the garden, red skin hidden by the cloak and hood covering her horns, before grabbing the fist sized orb and shoving it into a rucksack tied around her waist. The dogs hadn't yet seen her but they would give up any moment, as quickly as she could she ran to the fence and scaled up it, cloak ripping on the top, alerting the dogs and leaving a strip of fabric blowing in the wind as she ran into an alley to hide from any repercussions.
~~~
Ash 29, 4621
The dream that night wasn't subtle at all. She was deep within Shitport in a huge room with the highest ceilings she had ever seen. In front of her laid a massive buffet of fine delicacies. Immediately her mouth started salivating and her belly rumbled with joy. Taking in great mouthfuls she ate her fill. That morning she woke up with a rumbling stomach and had a fine breakfast of fish soaked in butter.
Sure that it was Cloak yesterday who saved her she was left with the question of "why"? If it were that easy why didn't she do it herself? Miki was no thief, she was much more straight forward in her approach to anything. If she wanted something other's had she would take it by force of will instead of gracefulness. These thoughts all ran through her head as she got out of her cot in Pogma's house only to find the place overturned. Evidently in the night while they all slept someone had broken in and stole all of Pogma's valuables. Pogma was sobbing in Izul's arm's and Izul did nothing other than nod her head at Miki. She knew what she meant, she wouldn't tell Pogma so long as Miki did something-- right that second.
Without wasting another moment Miki took the orb and tossed it into the street. She was headed back to the maze to find any clues about other hideouts. Someone would have broken fingers this night, indeed. "Cloak" had picked the wrong target on this day.
