Closed Situational Benefits. (Brandon)

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

56th of Fall, 514.

Cyq was on the prowl. That was what he called it, anyway. In fact, he was simply lurking through the streets in search of what he was always looking for - something of interest. Sometimes it'd come in the form of a little shop that sold some unique items that might perk his interest for a while. Other times, it'd be small houses and other businesses promoting the possibility of lessons in a particular world magic. If he had the power to, if he had the money to, he likely would have gone through them all - unfortunately, money was not scarce, but it did have to be managed wisely. He still hadn't found a place willing to take him under them - he simply didn't have what they were looking for. Malediction was not a skill that many accepted in the city as useful, or even positive by any light. It was a dark magic.. something that was better left forgotten, along with those that chose to practice it.

That was, however, pretty much all he had to run on. He had some scarce carving knowledge, but not enough to create anything of worth unless combined with Malediction. He had some basic understanding of Reimancy, but he was still learning how to truly use it. Perhaps he could become a hunter, he thought - but then, he had to look at the amount of meat that the other hunters brought in. They could take down the smaller animals with little difficulty, but the Pycon had no chance. Even the smaller of the predators and prey that roamed the Unforgiving were either too fast or too dangerous to be viable for the Pycon to kill, never mind on a day-to-day basis. Not to mention that they had their bows, and their knives.. all he had was his Reimancy, and that was nowhere near the level he'd need in order to kill these creatures.

Instead, he was left wandering about the streets, wandering what to do with himself. He needed clay, of course.. he needed his lessons as well, if he was going to get anywhere. His best chance was to find someone willing to either buy his maledictions, or to find him more bodies to be used for his maledictions so that he'd be able to eventually convince someone, anyone, that they weren't as bad as they feared. He had one Kelvic under thumb - Phelan, he was called - who had agreed to help in producing a few extra bodies for the mouse, as long as he was paid adequately for each one. It was a fair deal, of course - the mouse knew, that in the end, he would have more money selling the merchandise that he could procure from the result, than he'd have to pay for the goods. All he'd need to do was make sure that he burned through all of the bodies quickly.

It was with these thoughts in mind that he found himself drawing close to the Azure Market - he needed some things, after all. String, to tie the bones together with. Paints, to create the circles. These were all small things compared to the likes of material that Magecrafters required, he knew - it only made himself all the more smug. Those Magecrafters would likely need to turn over half the world in order to find those precious materials that they could not work without. All the Pycon needed were some paints and a paintbrush, and he could turn the bones of the Gods themselves into weapons of unrivaled destruction. At least, eventually he would. For now, he had to settle with the bones of rats, cats, and other relatively small creatures for his work.

For the day out, he'd 'chosen' the form of a mouse. He found that he never really had much say on the matter of these changes.. it was more or less what felt right at the time. Of course, if he truly wanted to, he could revert himself to his hedgehog form, but he doubted he'd be able to last very long with it. The forms didn't feel.. right, put simply. As though he was in a different body entirely. Each day, he woke up in either the body of a mouse or a hedgehog.. and every day, he walked the streets and the Towers and the Unforgiving itself without reverting to the opposite form. Why, he'd never know.

[Brandon Blackwing]

x

While it certainly wasn’t unusual for the Kelvic bat to be strolling through the many streets and alleys the crystal city was rich, it was unusual for him not to be drifting away in his own thoughts nor to prey on unsuspecting passerby’s who just begged to be robbed, pouches not hidden well enough or just kept in plain sight. Well, that statement had been true, but it wouldn’t last much longer. Every walk he took always became one where he dove into his own mind unintentionally. There was a lot on his mind, so it couldn’t be helped, nor did he actually care. Lhavit was a safe city, and the only threat that walked the streets was himself.

There was no need to worry about thieves, his subconscious was always on the lookout, even if he happened to pay no attention to the environment on a conscious level it would take control of his limbs and avoid any obstacle, or pickpocket with ease, sometimes making a hand shoot out to grab such thief by the wrist, only then being aware of what had happened. More often than not there was no need for that though, since Brandon was quite the larcenist himself, he knew a lot of tricks utilized by that kind of people and as such knew how to stay clear of them.

Avoiding crowded places was one of those measures, and that was just what he was doing, walking past the Azure instead of heading in, traversing a maze of alleyways to get around it while not paying attention at all where he was going. There was no purpose, no place he needed to be, he was just walking for the sake of walking. As per usual. It was a major stress-reliever though, which probably was the reason he never passed up an opportunity to go for a stroll, to clear his mind and go over everything that had happened recently, what was yet to come or what had happened years ago.

The thing most prominently on his mind was of course the whole Kriegsfelt business. Two seasons he had been under that man’s control already, being told to do this and that, to break in here and there, with no reward and no room for refusal. Gods damned that blackmailing merchant! While it didn’t really made that much of a difference in regards to his day-to-day life, Brandon was fed up with it, he hated this whole situation and wouldn’t want anything more than to escape that vendor’s grasp. Smiling, nodding and doing what he was told, pheh! To hell with that, he wanted to make his own choices, to be free once more. If he didn’t want to do something, then he didn’t do it, if he didn’t feel like taking a job, then he didn’t. No need for acting, no need to do his best to fool Kriegsfelt, no need for fear, no need to worry about Engghaen. No need for any unwanted activities, just doing what he liked, how he liked to do them and when he liked to do them. Simple, easy, like it was supposed to be.

In order to return to that world though, he’d need a plan –and maybe some help. Kriegsfelt couldn’t find out what was going on, so he’d have to continue to smile politely and nod his head when he was tasked with some new kind of trouble, letting others take care of the preparations. He’d already asked Sal to gather some information on Mr. Black, for the sake of truly knowing who he was up against and to create a suitable plan. The problem still remained that he couldn’t be too hasty though, since only the right moment would allow him to escape, if he was too early or too late, Enngy would be killed and the bat would probably be next. But, what am I worried about? the bat thought, confused for a moment and furrowing his brow, not noticing how someone bumped into him and also failing to witness how his own arm dug into the sailor’s pocket in that instant. If Kriegsfelt has assassins tailing Eng, I can’t act, my actions are sealed. But there’s the mistake in my thinking! If I make my move and manage to rid myself of Kriegsfelt –which would require killing him, probably, so he can’t give his assassins the order to kill Enggy- there won’t be a problem at all. I’m free and Enggy is safe, end of story. Should I fail however, she’ll die and I- well, I’ll be free. Engghaen is the only thing he can use against me… Though I can’t sacrifice Enggy… The risk is too great. Damn! I thought I’d found a way out!

And in the meantime the thief’s arm had returned with its trophy, rejoining the bat’s side willingly, but not undetected. That moment he snapped out of his thoughts and felt what he was holding instantly, and decided to pass it to someone else. The pouch was too light and possibly only held about three kina. Closing in on an individual sideways, the thief carefully brought the pouch near the woman’s hand, pressing it softly –almost unnoticeably so- against its palm. Subconscious reflexes made it so that the fingers grabbed hold of it immediately and Brandon stopped his forward motion, letting her do the get-away-from-the-scene thing.

The woman went through just about the same mental route Brandon had upon noticing the item held in her hand, only she couldn’t do it while hiding both her confusion and the wallet, bringing it to eye level while wondering where the coin-pouch came from. And that was when the sailor, who had been walking right in front of her noticed his kina and the pouch he’d stuffed them in were gone…

x

credit goes to Euthisa

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

It didn't take very long browsing wares either entirely unimportant or far beyond his range or price for the mouse to become bored and rather exasperated with the Azure. He wasn't poor, but he wasn't rich.. heck, he was still struggling to find a place of work. If he didn't, he'd have to resort to taking to less-than-honest deals in order to make his daily clay. Not that most of the deals he'd made so far were particularly honest, or smiled upon within the walls of Lhavit. That didn't mean that they weren't profitable, far from it. Just meant that he needed to be careful who he made them with, and how much he could actually trust them. Almost in an afterthought, as he slipped out the other end of the Azure and began passing into thinner crowds and smaller streets, he stopped at a corner and pressed his back against the stones, eyes disconnecting from his nexus and concentration drawn in. He could relax in these streets.. he was far too small to be noticed, and his clay managed to blend quite well into the surroundings. Not that well, but it was better than if he'd been an actual mouse.

The wonders that one can see, when they take a step back and look at the world through new eyes. Something he'd been told in the past, by the same Symnestra that had taught him Auristics. He considered using it now, but.. he doubted that it would truly reveal much about the world around him that he couldn't already tell. However, it wouldn't hurt. Slowly, he drew his concentration down into his nexus, and felt the small streams of djed beginning to ebb and waver throughout his body as it was drawn back towards the new lenses forming over his eyes. Small wisps of smoke danced at the corners of his vision, growing thicker and thicker until they almost filled his concentration in the small alley. There were so many auras - all of them vague, like clouds of multicoloured steam surrounding the people passing by.

There was one in particular - though there was nothing particular in the aura to draw the Pycons concentration, it was rather what the man was doing at that moment. He was looking around, his expression one of surprise, but as the Pycon focused in closer and closer, he could see something else in the smoke; red tinges spreading out, as his anger built up incredibly fast inside his aura. It must have been anger - his face was turning into visible outrage, his voice growing louder as he began shouting incoherently. Definitely anger. What on earth could have caused that.. He couldn't tell, the smoke was taking its time unraveling, and all he could pick up on now were small pieces of unimportant information. Soon he detached himself, and removed the lenses with several blinks - which came more as rapid connections and disconnections with his nexus, since he didn't have any eyelids - and a sigh. Looked like he was going to find something interesting after all.

Since he really didn't want to end up on the receiving end of the mans anger, he kept to the edges of the wall, pressed into the shadow. If he wasn't busy yelling, he likely would have spotted the Pycon easily. For now, he was given plenty of time to look over the situation and evaluate it. A man, the likes of which he'd never seen before, passing a pouch to an equally-strange woman, who was then immediately intercepted by the second, angrier man. If only I knew their names.. or what was happening. Perhaps it was a deal, gone awry. It certainly looked like it, with the anger running through one and the utter surprise running through the other. What have you done here, then. He wanted to see how this played out, now. The sailors focus was almost entirely on the small woman, who immediately tried to turn back towards the other man.. pass the blame, perhaps?

[Brandon Blackwing]

x

No wonder the sailor immediately knew or thought he knew who’d stolen his money, the woman behind him was still standing there, confusedly looking from left to right around her, not quite understanding what was happening. Until, of course, the sailor started yelling in his anger, his face red and with veins bulging out his forehead. Utterly caught off guard, the woman could only be startled and stutter in an attempt to convince him she did not take his wallet, but the fact that she was the one holding it right now was a serious contradiction. Her defenses did not succeed in calming the burly seaman, if anything, he only grew more angry, face assuming a purple color.

A gust of wind blew through the alley, ruffling with the hair and clothing of everyone who was passing through and staring at the scene unfolding before their very eyes. That gust came from the side of the sailor and traveled towards the bat, bringing with it a scent of alcohol, tobacco smoke and sweat. He had been drinking then? Well, rationality wouldn’t work with this guy as a result, the thief knew, he had labeled the woman as a pickpocket and nothing could make him change his mind.

All the while, the woman didn’t cease her attempts to explain the situation, but with every word that came out of her mouth, the seaman only grew more enraged. Feeling that she only had a chime or so to set things right, she looked around desperately, scanning the crowd with haste and spotting the dark cloaked figure that stood there, grinning as if this whole affair was a delightfully entertaining play of the Opera House. That instant it was apparent that this whole situation was his fault, she remembered him walking next to her just a while ago.

The woman turned her back on the angry sailor, taking a step forward and reaching out to the real culprit, though a firm hold grabbed her other wrist and jerked her back; the sailor had had enough of it. He screamed and fumed, shaking the small woman as if she was a cocktail shaker, though she didn’t break the locked glance she and Brandon shared. Until the sailor started becoming really violent, grunting insults as he slapped her face back and forth with the back of his hand before throwing her on the stones. As she hit the ground, curling up into a tight ball, the drunk seaman approached again, hoisting her back up by grabbing her hair, continuing his beating in the meantime.

Finally though, the spectators had recovered from the shock and a couple of men stormed into the fight, throwing themselves onto the sailor bravely, hoping to make him unhand the woman. That happening attracted a lot more attention, enough for the bat to slip away sneakily, heading into the nearest alleyway he could find, a tight fit children often used when playing hide and seek, but the slender figure of the thief could pass through as well, sidling sideways. While he still found the scene to be rather amusing, the Kelvic also knew he couldn’t stay for too long –not there anyway- since the Shinya would be arriving soon. He’d seen a fellow sprinting away in order to alert the watchmen when the sailor had started yelling, so he didn’t have to be a genius to deduct they’d be at the scene soon.

Sidling brought him to a small courtyard where some back doors lead to, a place that had been left unattended, grass and weed grew in the cracks of the pavement, a heap of scrap metal was piled up against a wall. Few people could actually follow him here, limited by their own bodies, though this wasn’t the place Brandon had wanted to reach. The roofs was his destination, and a route to get there appeared before his eyes. Just scanning his surroundings was enough for him to detect hand- and footholds, spots he could use as to get higher up and bridges or ridges that lead to a better place to hoist himself upwards. Practice of freerunning had programmed his mind to search for roads and streets he could use, even if there seemed to be none. The conventional roads weren’t the only ones after all. Due to his experience he had learned to recognize those trails upon first glance, needing but one look to create a path to travel on.

Immediately he moved to the wooden canopy covering one of the doors, jumping up and grabbing hold of the metal bars that held it in place, hoisting his body up and crawling on top of it by positioning his elbows and forearms on the edge. Within a couple of ticks he was already running towards the other side, taking two steps swiftly before launching himself to the windowsill of the adjacent house. Fingers curled around it while feet prevented his body from colliding with the wall, also adding a bit of extra grip momentarily, then sliding into a crack and allowing for better hold and an easier climb up the windowsill. From there all he had to do was shuffle to the concave corner and use the inconsistencies of the stones’ measurements to his advantage, easily making it up the roofs.

Crouching low and carefully sneaking to the edge of the rooftop he peered into the alley he’d left a few moments prior, and noticed the sailor being subdued by about five other men, who had pushed him on the floor and kept him there, while a sixth was consoling the woman. That same instant he heard the rhythmic clattering of armor and the pounding of running footsteps approaching, witnessing a squad of Shinya arrive with haste, heading to the group of men and the sole woman, swimming through the gathered crowd. It took a couple of chimes of questioning before they left again, joined by the still pissed off sailor and his victim. Both would be interrogated before the judgment of guiltiness was decided on, and then the seafaring assailant would probably be punished for his actions with a fee or a couple of days in jail, though that was for the Seiza to decide. Brandon on the other hand couldn’t care less.

The Kelvic bat had just averted a crisis, and was pleased he had. No guilt, nor remorse was felt, only contentment that he wasn’t the one being dragged away. Or having been the one being beaten up for that matter, though he figured he would have won the fight. Drunk people were only unpredictable, but that was the extent of the threat they posed.

x

credit goes to Euthisa

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

Just like the few other bystanders that stood by, the Pycon knew that he couldn't intervene. However, he couldn't even if he did want to. They were all too big, too heavy. The last thing he wanted to do would be to be caught intervening in a situation with the one offensive and one defensive magic that he knew - Reimancy. More likely that he'd be the one dragged off with the approaching Shinya. More to the point, he was at risk of being dragged away whether or not he was actually involved at all in the situation. He'd heard things from other Pycons back in Pyconia, those that had visited the city in passing or settled down for several seasons before moving back to a city that was more tailored to their tastes. He'd also seen some of the Shinya looking at him oddly, as well as a few citizens. He evidently wasn't human - more something that one would see emerging from the mysterious Alchemy laboratories.

So far, he'd passed through the city unmolested. So far. He wasn't about to find out if his luck would hold out when faced with several of them, and immediately turned his back as the Shinya began cleaving through the crowds with all the grace of a well-choreographed dance. People were eased apart, the crowds disintegrated, and the perpetrators coaxed away with strong hands. Once again, he understood why many had told of them more as disciplined monks than true authority figures like the knights of the Syliran Order. If he wasn't worried about his own safety at that moment, he probably would have taken more time to simply sit back and watch them work. Instead, he scanned briefly over the dispersing crowds and caught sight of one of the group - the only one able to evade the Shinya. Now that's something, isn't it. Even better, the way that he seamlessly slid back behind an alley as if he'd never existed.

To the rest of the small clusters of people moving back to their daily regime, he really was. The Pycon had seen, though, and soon hobbled his way down the extremely narrow path - his small body having to compress just slightly to make more room, and clear the debris that littered the place. Looks like nobody's cleaned up here for a while. Then again, who would. Lhavit wasn't all sunshine and starlight, Cyq was testament to that just as much as the thieves and drunkards that roamed the streets. Eventually, he made it out the other side and into a small courtyard littered with yet more rubbish, and a lovely pile of scrap metal lying in the corner in a disheveled heap. So that's why there's so much of this junk lying around here, huh. That wasn't his biggest concern. The strange man had disappeared completely.

There were nothing more than a few securely locked back doors leading into smaller houses to escape - no more alleys, at least none that a human would be able to use. More like little cracks in the brickwork and tiny gaps between the houses. He couldn't have disappeared into thin air, surely. What did he do, fly away? Strange he should mention that. Looking up told the little hedgehog Pycon exactly where the man was. Unfortunate that Cyq hadn't spotted him sooner, otherwise he likely could have kept to the little shadow that outlined the edges of the houses and the alley. He could have remained undetected, at the very least. Either he's a very good climber, or he's got a pair of wings hidden under that gown somewhere.

If either was true, the hedgehog had little hope of keeping up with the man if he decided to run. If he said nothing, then he risked intimidating the man and sending him running - not that a clay figurine a few inches tall would ever really cause panic, but considering what he'd just seen, it would definitely confirm that the man had something to do with the thievery. Was the woman passing the blame to him, because.. he gave her the purse? That'd be stupid. He'd be a vigilante or something along those lines.. stealing from one person and giving to the next. What man took and never kept what he'd taken? Well, he was about to find out. "Hey, you." His voice wasn't very loud, or very deep.. but it was worth a try to attract his attention, and see what would happen. Don't run, don't run, don't run, don't run...

[Brandon Blackwing]

x

It was unfortunate to have missed part of the action by slipping away, no matter how necessary it may have been. For once, the Shinya had been swift in their actions, dispersing the crowd quickly and apprehending two of the three involved parties. Good thing the third had vanished into thin air as if he’d never even been there in the first place. The bat grinned smugly, slinking back to the side of the rooftop he’d used to get on it, sending a glance to his surroundings, contemplating whether or not he should keep to the freerunner’s highway or descend.

There was no real reason for him to do either, he could just stay on the roof if he wanted and take a nap, he didn’t have anything to do anyway. Besides, he was rather sleepy, tired from a night full of missed sleep. Insomnia had returned after having left him alone for a while, keeping him awake and depriving him of his rest. Evidently, bats –and bat Kelvics by extension- were not meant to sleep at night and be up and about during the day. Why he still kept to that very human rhythm was rather vague and unknown to himself too, especially so since most of his activities took place during the dark hours of Leth’s reign.

Perhaps it was time for a change in behavior, he thought, swapping the time for sleep and waking might be a good idea. After all, creatures of the dark were not meant to walk around in the light.

A nap was decided on, but just when he was about to lay his body down, his sensitive ears picked up two words spoken by a quiet voice. Since there was no one else around, it was rather obvious the shout out was aimed at him. Black orbs immediately scanned the courtyard for whoever called out to him just now, but found no one there. A frown rippled on his brow as he let his eyes dart over the environment again, seeing nothing but a clay figurine. But that couldn’t have spoken-

Wait! Did that piece of clay just move? And was it carrying a stick with it? No way, since when did things like this live? And talk? There was something about the clay doll that gave off a different vibe than those animated dolls that young man –Kaik- had brought with him during the investigation last Summer. He didn’t know what, but finding out wouldn’t be a problem. This new thing was interesting, the bat’s curiosity had been piqued, he just couldn’t resist trying to sate it.

Though, going over was a bit too risky at the moment. Right now he didn’t know a thing about this clay figure. He had no idea what it could do and where it came from. Was it dangerous? Was it gentle and friendly? Not a clue. So it was better to keep some distance between them, Brandon found. As such he decided to stay on the roof, legs thrown over the edge and sitting down comfortably. While the doll was soft-spoken, the bat’s ears could pick up the sounds it made with relative ease, so there shouldn’t be a problem in communication.

“What are you? And what do you want with me?” the Kelvic responded to the mouse-like figurine, his tone of voice filled with curiosity he was unable to hide. Not very surprising seeing as this was the first time he’d seen such a being. In fact, the thief wanted to come close enough to poke it, sniff it and study it thoroughly, but for now this distance would have to do.

x

credit goes to Euthisa

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

Thank goodness. He'd heard, and he wasn't running. Maybe he wasn't a guilty thief, then. Or he was, and he was being smart. He was treading on thin ice here - if he made the wrong assumption, he could be in trouble. There'd be no chance of passers-by intervening in this little enclave if things went messy like he'd just seen with the woman and the stranger. Nobody passed a glance inside, nobody even could if they wanted to given the narrow entryway. "I saw you, back there. With that woman that the Shinya took away." His tongue slipped briefly over his lips, as if trying to wet them - a bad habit brought about by that damnable Symnestra. He had a habit of doing it whenever he was particularly concentrated on a task. "Did you have something to do with what went on there?" There was still a chance for him to run, and the hedgehog took a few steps closer to the edge of the roof that the man had taken to sit on as though it was little more than a particularly high bench.

"That woman, she kept looking back to you. Trying to pass on the blame, but you weren't caught by the Shinya when they came." If he said the wrong words, he opened the doors. If he made the offer to the wrong person, then this man could go to the Twuele and report him. Shinya would come for him, question people, and everything he'd worked so hard for so far would be undone completely. He needed security and secrecy, but how was he ever going to find it when he was forced to tip-toe and mince around such blatant words as 'murder' and 'stealing'? Granted, the former would come later. He didn't even know if this man was a thief at all, let alone one that was good at holding his secrets down."Are you a Hypnotist? Manipulating people for the fun of it?" He'd seen a few bad Hypnotists using their magics in small ways for personal gain before, regardless of whether it was technically seen as unlawful use or not.

Before the man could answer, the Pycon hastened to add, "Don't lie to me, either. I know Auristics, I can tell whether you lie to me or not." That was a lie, he wasn't even ready to use them. Didn't mean he couldn't use the common misinterpretations to his advantage. Claim a few little lies to press his case and get a little bit of innocence out of him.

All the while, Cyq tried to think of a way to climb up. Well, he could always attempt to construct himself a little pillar of rock, but it wouldn't be likely that the thing would be able to support the Pycon unless he made it thick - if he did that, it wouldn't be tall enough. The scrap could likely provide a little extra height, but that looked just as unstable. His only chance would be to climb the wall if he wanted to get any closer.. fat chance of that. "Mind coming down here? I hate to raise my voice on such tentative subjects." There, that'd work. The mans voice at least held a little bit of curiosity to it. That meant something.

[Brandon Blackwing]

x

“I saw you, back there,” the mouse-like clay figure spoke, its voice about as loud as when it had called out to the bat, but that appeared to be the maximum volume it could manage to produce. No problem though, Brandon's ears were not as deaf as a human's. The brief sentence made the bat's eyes narrow though, his mind racing over the countless possibilities and meanings that statement could hold. Strangely enough, the clay mouse did not seem to be accusing him of anything, it wasn't an accusation, no, merely and observation. Interesting.

What followed was not just an observation though, but a suspicion of sorts, a query to find out the truth. Whether it stemmed from curiosity or something else the thief couldn't tell, but a question like that wasn't something he'd answer in a straightforward manner. No matter what that clay thing was and where it came from, it at least should have the wit to know that no one will give an affirmative reply to the inquiry of their profession being legal or not. “Hmmmm, let me think...” the thieving bat spoke while tapping with a finger on his chin. “Perhaps I did, perhaps I didn't.” Very vague indeed.

The strange clay creature did not seem to mind though, closing in on the wall while keeping its face turned upward and continuing to speak. Now he mentioned the woman the bat had used as a scapegoat, tricking her into holding the purse so he could escape. He wouldn't deny that he'd made a mistake in robbing the sailor, he'd never intended to, but sometimes things like this happened. Muscle memory seemed to have been wanting to prove that there was no need to pay any attention to what he was doing, his pockets would fill themselves with valuables automatically. There was also no denying that he'd panicked for a moment, having been as confused as that woman when he'd noticed the wallet in his grasp.

A Hypnotist? Brandon? As if he would ever lower himself to such a new low! The magic of manipulation was -as was the case with any and all forms of magic- a powerful tool of the Gods themselves, not something to be wielded by human bodies. Besides, knowing the effects of that particular magic, the bat wouldn't be surprised if it was actually one of Sagallius's cunning tricks to bind people to him and manipulate them. The God of manipulation wasn't to be taken too lightly, nor could one put it past him to use roundabout methods to achieve his goals -whatever those might be. What came next was far more fascinating and useful to note: this clay mouse actually claimed to be able to use the magic of Sight, Auristics.

Once more the bat narrowed his black orbs, pondering on what exactly this being was supposed to be. He'd never seen something such as this, nor had he ever heard about it. Curious, so very curious. Well, if that was the case, then he should really consider to pick his words more carefully. Detect lies, eh? Well, whether he told the truth or spoke lies, it would make no difference, since this little piece of unbaked pottery would know.... Or not? Why would he have played his trump card? If Brandon had been in his position, he'd have used his magic while interrogating the other person, letting him speak and using the Sight to know if he was being lied to or not. There was no need for the other person to know about it. Unless of course, this was a trick.

Brandon was no fool, while magic wasn't a subject he knew much about, he was knowledgeable enough of trickery and deceit to think fast and reason swiftly. The ability to accurately guess if what was said to him was a truth or not was important in his business after all. Not all employers told thieves everything they needed to know, or sometimes happened to twist the facts a bit, not wanting to tell someone that wasn't to be trusted about themselves. That was smart of course, but no use, since professionals preferred to be informed of anything that they deemed important. No information, no deal. Sometimes, the best thieves were also the greatest detectives, using their skill to avoid walking into traps than solving a case however.

Still though, there was no certainty about this whole deduction, and as such the bat decided to tell the truth, also because he had nothing to hide when it came to magic. “I am most certainly not a Hypnotist,” he proclaimed, slightly insulted by the assumption. “As for coming down...” His voice trailed off as he stared at the ground, several meters below, where the small figurine stood. For a moment it seemed as if the bat would get up and comply, but he only shifted his position a little bit, purposely pretending to give in to the request only to refuse. “I'd rather stay up here, if you don't mind.” And even if the mouse did. “I can hear you perfectly, so there's no need to raise your voice either. ” A plastered smile.

Again, there was a reason for this course of action. Brandon had learned that the mouse could use magic, it claimed to be able to use the Sight. As such it was very much possible it knew other magical tricks as well. Dangerous magics that could actually cause harm to others, whatever the reach of such magics was, the bat rather preferred to keep a bit of distance between himself and his attacker. Should a fireball soar his way then he at least had a bit of time to dodge, what couldn't be done point blank. Curiosity wasn't a reason to neglect his own safety after all, even if that sounded a bit hypocritical coming from him. When had he ever not discarded his personal safety in order to sate his curiosity? When there's magic involved, he decided.

But there was one more thing he'd like to know, something that hadn't been answered yet and still was shrouded in mystery. While this small clay thing wanted the Kelvic to answer his questions, it refused to reply to the one Brandon had posed. So he inquired again, “And what were you again, exactly?”

x

credit goes to Euthisa

[Cyq]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

This was quickly turning into a game - a strange game indeed, where both of them were vying for a lead position in understanding the others move and eventually gaining the upper hand. Cyq liked these games. It opened so many doors, so many possibilities. Whether this man, who insisted upon sitting out of reach and what should have been out of earshot, was interested in these games was yet to be seen, but instead of just explaining himself he played on. It was once again up to Cyq to try and unravel everything before he was caught out and left to reveal everything out here in the open of the streets, and hope that the man didn't see more interest in taking what he had to the Shinya than simply take up the offers made.

The mans question was forgotten and left in silence as the Pycon pondered over what he'd already said, and what he hadn't. He's being vague. A normal man - more importantly, an innocent man, would have completely denied any influence on the theft. An innocent man would have probably been insulted by it, denied involvement and thrown accusation aside. That would be what the hedgehog would do, if he was ever branded as a thief. This man though, didn't. He made a show of tapping his chin, like he was thinking on it, before giving a decidedly vague answer that neither went one way or the other. Is he just trying to cover up his involvement completely? The hedgehog didn't have a real answer, but he certainly had a feeling that the man was exactly what he was looking for. That didn't really bring them any closer to a solution, but it was something.

The fact that he wasn't a Hypnotist nearly made the hedgehog break the visage and sigh in utter relief. He couldn't be sure on that either. If the human had seen through the ploy, then he could just be giving that answer to throw the hedgehog off and make him believe that there was no manipulation going on. Or he could be lying just to see whether the hedgehog really could read minds. Or he was telling the truth because he actually did believe in the power of Auristics. There was just no telling which answer was the right one. Shyke. If he was a Hypnotist, he was a damn good one. He could feel the effects the last time he'd met one. The push of fear, the surrounding emotions, all of it he could actually feel. Not this time - there was nothing out of the ordinary, as far as the hedgehog could feel in his head. Guess it's best not thinking about it at all.

The fact that the man didn't want to come down, combined with the fact that he really had to ask just what the Pycon was, clenched it. Why doesn't he want to come down.. is he frightened? Surely not. There was no other reason though, surely. They both had to speak up to make themselves heard.. the hedgehog more than the man. What reason he would really have was completely beyond the Pycon, but either way, he was happy for it. He was safe, for now. As long as he managed to play his cards right, play the game and draw him forwards. After a chime or two of complete silence, he finally spoke up again and became animated. "I'm a Pycon.. an Aurist.. and I'm looking for someone to help me with a few jobs. It's unfortunate that I haven't found anyone with the right skills for these jobs though. I've had to look all over the city!" Although his voice was still quite soft, he spread his paws out wide as though he was speaking to a whole crowd instead of one lonely man perched atop a rooftop.

"If you want to take up a job, I'm sure we can talk something out. But, if not.. I suppose I'll be on my way." He didn't move at all, though. He was waiting to see whether he'd be stopped, whether the man was going to say anything at all.

[Brandon Blackwing]

x

Finally, finally the bat received an answer, though said answer led only to more questions. A Pycon was what the clay figure claimed to be, a Pycon, not Pycon. Did that mean there were more of them? Enough to be considered a race? Surely that was not possible, one yes, an experiment of sorts or so, but a whole race of clay figures that could move and talk and use magic? Impossible! Utterly impossible! How would they even reproduce anyway? Clay couldn't conceive, nor give birth. This was just ridiculous. No, this Pycon was some sort of golem cretaed by a mage in the city and ran away or so. Yes, that had to be it. It had to.

Still, regardless of whatever failed experiment this creature was the result of, Brandon couldn't help but to be interested by what it was saying. Jobs? Looking for someone with the right skills? Hold on a tick, this thing was asking for help? Or proposing a deal? Huh? Could golems even do such a thing? Weren't those abominations supposed to stay with their masters and obey their orders? Or was this Pycon carrying out instructions? Things were getting complicated, it seemed. Well, no use in thinking about it, hearing the mouse figurine out was necessary. Because he was curious what the creature would ask of him.

“Well, maybe you weren't looking in the right places”, was the bat's comment, a sharkish grin splitting his face in half. How interesting things were becoming. If one had to look all over the city, one couldn't be searching for a common set of skills if that was true. Maybe not even for legal skills... Possibly, but perhaps he was mistaken and could reveal information he wouldn't want anyone other than the ones he trusted to hear. Though there was no harm in asking about the jobs the clay creature had in mind.

While the clay mouse did subtly threatened to take its leave if the bat was not interested, it certainly showed no desire to do so, waiting patiently for a reply from the bat, who was now leaning in a bit out of curiosity. However, Brandon felt he couldn't just express any eagerness to hear more, no, he had to seem interested, but not overly so. “You know, it's kind of annoying having to accept or refuse when there are no details given. I mean, you could just be looking for a carpenter and having found not the right one and here I'd be, thinking you'd need help of some shady character.” That was reasonable, wasn't it?

Brandon grinned briefly, deciding to mimic the mouse's actions from a few ticks earlier. “Of course, it's up to you to decide on giving me some information or not. If not though, ” the Kelvic spoke calmly, getting on his feet slowly, as to emphasize what he was about to say next. “I'll be forced to take my leave.” He demonstratively turned his back on the tiny clay statuette and took an equally demonstrative step forward, away from the edge before turning back to look over his shoulder. “That is entirely up to you, though.” A smirk. “So what will it be?”

If there was something the bat had come to dislike since having met Kriegsfelt, it had to be not being in control of a situation. You have to do this and you have to do that. Right now, the thief had the feeling he'd been able to reverse the roles, now the Pycon wasn't the one applying the pressure, but Brandon was. Another step was taken forwards, indecisiveness was punished, the Pycon should start talking quickly, if he wanted to make a deal. The bat had places to be -well, not really, but the mouse figurine didn't know that. Now then, what will you tell me? If the Pycon really had searched the whole city for one with this 'specialized skillset' and hadn't found anyone suitable, it should have become rather desperate by now. Brandon should appear to be a golden opportunity; and he in fact was. From what he knew, there was no thief in Lhavit better known and feared that the infamous Incognito, and that legend just so happened to be his alter ego. Not that anyone knew though.

x

credit goes to Euthisa