Ash 29, 4621¤
It was absolutely unforgivable what happened to Pogma's home. Miki was in a stupor trying to think of why or how. It had to be the orb, she must have been trailing her to follow her home and steal. It was a simple mark by a cat burglar in order to gain access to the wrong motherfucker's house. Was it supposed to send a message? Because Miki would do the same. She had a plan and it wasn't going to be pretty. Bringing a torch she went out during the day and lit the hedge rows on fire. She started deep within the maze and followed the way out with the flames. Running from the scene of the crime she made it back to Pogma's where Izul and she had cleaned up the place.
Izul was very serious with her that night when Pogma had gone to bed and they were both out on rocking chairs on the porch.
"You sent a message? I need more than that. I want those sticky fingers."
A growling chuff was let out by the Orkhai and her face was dead serious.
"Look Pogma and I go way back. She has enough to scrape by but that Cloak? She took almost everything. I want her gone, you hear me? Out of this world."
Miki grit her teeth. This wouldn't be easy to find her but she was certain something would at least come of the fire she started, literally.
"I'll get it done. Don't you worry now."
She told Izul with an impatient tone. Before the conversation could become more and more scolding Miki left, it was sundown now, and decided to return to the scene of the crime.
As things would have it the block was sealed off, no one could go in or out. The Moroi was sure that the fire was safely put out and that Cloak knew exactly what happened. Instead of sneaking in to get a closer look she left the scene of the crime and started off in the general direction of the poorer parts of the city. Valran were out in droves looking for the culprit of the arson and Miki kept her newly found cloak wrapped tight around her shoulders.
She was looking for something obscure. A trio of Valran stomped by her stopping her dead in her tracks. As she started walking away after letting them pass one of the Valran turned on her heel and came to interrogate Miki.
"And you haven't seen anyone suspicious, Rathor?"
Miki was used to it by now, people often mistook her personal appearance for one of the animal-men. She shook her head innocently no.
"Hmm alright. But I if you see something, say something. We will pay you handsomely for it."
Miki tried to hide the smile on her face as they left.
Black mail.
If she could find one of Cloak's hideout's she could secretly invite the Valran in and pin the arson on the thief. It was a miracle. Izul would also be pleased to know that instead of fingers on a necklace those fingers would be wrapped around bars for a long, long time. Picking up the pace she continued her perusing for the mysterious or odd.
~~~
Eventually in a poor alley she found a broken fountain. The sculpture was of a naked man in T pose with a raven's head. Something about it seemed out of place and when she lifted an arm the entire side slid off, with some muscle she was able to place the chunk of sculpture off to the side. It revealed a large black hole which looked to descend down on a ladder. Taking the ladder down into the abyss she knew she had found one of the hideouts, for certain. At the bottom she took out a torch from her pack and followed the dripping wet tunnel to an antechamber where torches lined the walls. This room was well lit and contained a fortune in knickknacks and scattered farthings which glinted in some spots on the walls. Cloak was rich.
"Good, I've been expecting you."
Came the voice of the gnome. Miki let out a startled cry to see the tiny woman high on a perch above her in a great throne. She lounged there seemingly at ease.
"Did you bring my crystal?"
This made Miki snap.
"Excuse the fuck out of me? But fuck no. Not after you vandalized and robbed my friend's house."
Something wasn't adding up about this. Why would she be so nonchalant?
"Pity, but no that wasn't me."
"Funny you should say that in a room full of riches."
"I work alone. We had a deal. I'm not one to go around robbing my clientele."
Miki mulled this over, could it be a simple misunderstanding?
There wasn't time to think or act. Heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hall.
"You didn't come alone."
Hissed Cloak who jumped right up and began assembling her things.
"Look, if what you say is true something bigger is at play and I think I know what, or rather who, it is. We're not safe here, come with me."
Jumping down from her throne on high she scattered a layer of the farthings which chimed on their way down the pile. She opened a book case and waved Miki through. Miki knew exactly what was going on, she had lead the Valran here to the hideout. It was also she who torched the old hideout which it seemed like Cloak didn't know. What could she mean by something bigger at play? There wasn't time to make a decision though, it was either jump down the hole or be caught red handed. They each slid down the hole, the bookshelf clicking into place behind them just as the Valran made their way into the hole of riches beneath the fountain.
~~~
They ended up deep beneath Amoren somewhere Miki felt like she shouldn't be.
"We need to keep going."
Commanded the small one and Miki followed her silently throughout the grubby rubble of whatever this place was beneath the city. Eventually they headed up a ladder and found themselves in a dimly lit alleyway. It was night now and the few stalls she could see were clearly manned by some unsavory characters. As the two women walked through the alley Miki was certain this was a black market meeting area and cringed. Cloak was clearly well connected in the underworld. They left the alley and Cloak shuffled them into a bar, they were within a poorer community that much was evident. Taking a seat in the back of the room Cloak waved away the hostess and focused on Miki, speaking in a hushed tone.
"Someone burnt down my home. I think I know who it is. I have a rival who stalks me. It's a competition for them that I never asked to be apart of. I think they ransacked your house and burnt down my lawn because they think you are my new accomplice."
Miki steepled her fingers and stared pupillessly into Cloak's eyes. She looked to be totally honest. Miki's gut wrenched thinking about the "message" she was trying to send prior. This just got even more tricky.
"What do you propose we do?"
She said finally, not missing a beat.
"Well, we have a couple options. We can find him, torch his hideout and beat the shit out of him or extort him for money over ransom of burning down my lawn. Other than that, we need to find his hideout, secretly, and count his possessions. I think it was he who tipped off the Valran, as well."
Miki shook her head in awe, wondering how she ended up in this mess. She should never have followed her and enlisted her for help, now she was deep in a shit pipe with nothing but her bare hands to pull her out. In any case, that meant it was time to get to work.
"Well, where do you propose we start?"
"In the center of town. I have spoken with him before, he likes to be the center of attention, it makes sense he would take a spot with a rude vantage point."
Miki mulled this over until finally agreeing, she would go with the woman to sort him out. It would be easier to use him as a scapegoat and pin the arson on him than anything like admitting to being wrong. If Cloak was that rich she had power, where ever that may be, and she wasn't willing to get the claws of the cat burglar. They left that night and headed out into town, both in their black cloaks.
