Post by mysteria on Jun 14, 2007 21:44:10 GMT -5
In other news, the Phantom Thief is still at large. Today, he stole several paintings from the art gallery downtown, along with a small sculpture. I’m here with the curator, Mr. Joseph Declore, to see what he has to say. Mr. Declore, did you witness the theft?
“Yes, I did. He was just strolling through the hallways, plucking paintings off the wall and paying no attention to the alarms going off behind him”
When he finally noticed you and the guards, what did he do?
“He- he smirked at us before snapping his fingers and being engulfed in flame. The next minute he was gone.”
There you have it folks. This is Al-
Nate turned off the TV. set, and walked slowly out of the room, trying to avoid aggravating her newest bruises. The Phantom Thief. How exciting his life must be! I wish I could be more like him… She thought. Never having any responsibilities, just a care free soul roaming the world.
Ding Dong! She heard the creak of the floor as it tried to support her father’s weight.
”Hello Mr. Amonta, is Nate home?” Crap! She told him not to come, and her father would make her pay for it later. Her father hated Jake, and would happily see him move halfway across the world.
“Natalie! Get your butt down here!” He walked back into the kitchen as Nate ran down the stairs, and threw her arms around Jake.
“How many times must I tell you not to come around the front?” She whispered, as they walked outside, hands joined.
“At least one more time, Nate. As always.” Jake replied, quoting one of her favorite movies.
“That’s right! Pirates three is out! Can we go see it, please?”
“Sure, it’s not like I had planned to go there in the first place.”
*****
She’s with her boyfriend.
“I don’t like him.”
Should we do something? No adults around.
“He looks a bit stronger than us.”
We could take him, I’m sure of it.
“How about we go steal something instead?” Arrow offered weakly, trying to divert Dagger’s attention. True, he felt the need to take her with him, to keep her safe from her drunken father and… Jake. But kidnapping was not the same thing as stealing. It was a dangerous business. And he could easily get caught.
Arrow, you have until her father’s speech at the park on Wednesday to decide when we liberate her. If you can’t make a reasonable decision before then, I’ll do it myself.
“Fine.”
“Excuse me? Are you alright?” Natalie and Jake stood a few feet away from him, looking like they thought he was a dangerous crazy, so to speak.
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” Arrow questioned, taking a few steps backward.
“You were talking to yourself, and you sounded kind of lost.” Jake put his arm protectively around Natalie, eyes narrowed with distrust.
Kill him now. Dagger hissed vengefully. How dare that boyu touch his property!
“No. I won’t!” Arrow hollered at Dagger, enveloping himself in flame.
Nate and Jake watched in disbelief as the kid either yelled at himself, or them, and then disappeared in a burst of flame. “Did you see that?” Nate asked, an excited tone coming into her voice. “It was the Phantom Thief!”
“No way, Nate. How do you know?”
“I saw a news report on him! One of the witnesses said he disappeared in a burst of fire like this kid just did!”
“C’mon. I’m going to take you home.”
*****
Down in the sewers, Arrow paced back and forth, as Dagger berated him again.
What were you thinking? They know what we look like now, and will probably send the police after us!
“They didn’t see my face, Dagger. I had my hood up.”
Still! I’m ashamed of you Arrow. Do you want us to get caught?
“No! I just-“
You just what?
“Dagger, I’m not you. I’m not strong like you, and I don’t deal with pressure easily. So sue me. I got us out of there before they learned about you, right?”
I suppose. No raids for a while. Let’s sell that crap we got from the last one and wait until things settle down a little.
“Alright.”
*****
As Natalie lay in bed, her sides aching from the vicious beating she had been dealt when she got home, thinking about the day’s events. I met the Phantom Thief… She thought in disbelief. He had been wearing one of those cloaks that had a piece of fabric in the hood to cover your face, but had sounded young, and scared. Why? Why did he feel the need to steal? She wondered what his parents were like. Probably not very good if their child felt the need to steal. “Who are you, Phantom?” She whispered as her eyes closed, and she fell asleep. “Who are you…?”
“We’re no one, Lady Amonta.” Dagger whispered from outside her window. But they would be someone, to her.
Let’s get out of here.
“No. Not yet.”
Tomorrow is Wednesday. Arrow reminded him. And I’ve made my decision.
“Really? That’s great! When do we kidnap her?”
We don’t. YOU do.
“Figures. But no. You will do it, and it will be tomorrow.”
Dagger I-
“It’s the least you can do, after that episode this morning!” Dagger hissed, jumping down from her window and landing nimbly on his feet. He ran off, back to their home in the sewers, the one where Lady Amonta would be living in with them.
*****
We could take her now you know… no one is looking.
“No, Dagger. I won’t kidnap her. Not yet.” Arrow whispered, looking around the park, where citizens lingered, listening to Charles Amonta, the most prominent member of the Democratic party’s speech, about how if he were elected, blah blah blah abortion, blah blah blah, end the war. Next to him, a bright smile on her face stood his daughter, Natalie, or Nate, Amonta, ready to help add-on to her father’s campaign.
Such a pretty smile. What a shame it’s fake.
“You don’t know that for sure.” Nervously, Arrow pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head, it’s black veil hiding his face.
Of course I do. You know as well as I that her father beats her, and I’m sure it’s all she can do to stop herself from killing him right now. If only some brave young hero would end her suffering. It’s a shame there aren’t any heroes here. Only pansies. Pansies who continue to say they need to watch her little more before liberating her, with no intention of actually doing so.
“Shut up!” He yelled, causing the elderly ladies nearest to him to give him a frightened look and scurry away. Twitching as Dagger took over, he bent over writhing in pain, but no one seemed to notice.
“Ahh. Much better.” Dagger stretched and walked off toward the podium, a wicked smile plastered to his face.
I hate it when you do that.
“Miss Amonta! How nice to see you!” He said as he reached the stage, pulling off his hood.
“Likewise. Could I inquire as to your name?”
“I’m Dagger.” He said, taking Natalie’s hand to help her down. “I’m a friend of Jakes, we met at that party? You were kinda drunk, so it’s okay if you don’t remember.” He whispered, an amused tone to his voice.
“Yeah, I remember that…” She said, not noticing they were walking off, away from the other people.
Dagger, this isn’t right!
“I figured you would! Anyway, Jake wanted me to come get you so he could show you his newest hide out.” He said, ignoring Arrow.
“Oh! Alright!” Together they walked off toward the street, but Dagger stopped in the middle of the park, and pulled the cover off a man hole. “Where are we-“
“C’mon! We’re gonna go meet Jake!” With that, he slid into the sewers, landing gracefully on the concrete below.
“Okay…” She climbed down the ladder carefully, stepping next to Dagger just as he began to writhe in pain. “Dagger, what’s wrong?”
Damn you! I got her down here, Arrow, why did you do that?
“Because I could…” Arrow whispered, before turning to Nate. “Nothing’s wrong! Sorry about that, I just get stomach pains sometimes.”
“I see.” Nate said, but she wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t the same self-assured guy she had been talking to a few minutes ago. Something was up. “Where’s Jake?”
“Right through here” Arrow assured her, opening the heavy door to his chambers.
“Jake?” She called, as the doors slammed shut behind her. “What the hell?” She yelled, as Arrow slumped to the ground, his head held in his hands.
You did it! Congratulations, Arrow, you aren’t a pansy today!
“Leave me alone, Dagger.”
Fine. No need to get snippy.
“Wait a second! Natalie yelled, marching over to them. “You’re Dagger!”
“Umm, yeah… I just talk to myself sometimes….” Arrow lied, looking up at her. Oh crap… Natalie thought. I’m trapped in the sewers with some schizophrenic freak, who’s probably going to rape and murder me.
“What do you want with me?” She cried, sitting on a couch in the corner.
“We saw the way your father treated you, and thought it was unfitting for someone with your beauty.” Arrow said, as Dagger had coached him to.
*****
“I’m sorry sir, but she can’t really be considered missing until-“
“To Hell with your laws!” Charles yelled, his face purple with rage. “Where is my daughter?”
“Well, Mr. Amonta, sir, before twenty four hours are up, Natalie is considered a runaway. There’s nothing we can do.”
“Yes, I did. He was just strolling through the hallways, plucking paintings off the wall and paying no attention to the alarms going off behind him”
When he finally noticed you and the guards, what did he do?
“He- he smirked at us before snapping his fingers and being engulfed in flame. The next minute he was gone.”
There you have it folks. This is Al-
Nate turned off the TV. set, and walked slowly out of the room, trying to avoid aggravating her newest bruises. The Phantom Thief. How exciting his life must be! I wish I could be more like him… She thought. Never having any responsibilities, just a care free soul roaming the world.
Ding Dong! She heard the creak of the floor as it tried to support her father’s weight.
”Hello Mr. Amonta, is Nate home?” Crap! She told him not to come, and her father would make her pay for it later. Her father hated Jake, and would happily see him move halfway across the world.
“Natalie! Get your butt down here!” He walked back into the kitchen as Nate ran down the stairs, and threw her arms around Jake.
“How many times must I tell you not to come around the front?” She whispered, as they walked outside, hands joined.
“At least one more time, Nate. As always.” Jake replied, quoting one of her favorite movies.
“That’s right! Pirates three is out! Can we go see it, please?”
“Sure, it’s not like I had planned to go there in the first place.”
*****
She’s with her boyfriend.
“I don’t like him.”
Should we do something? No adults around.
“He looks a bit stronger than us.”
We could take him, I’m sure of it.
“How about we go steal something instead?” Arrow offered weakly, trying to divert Dagger’s attention. True, he felt the need to take her with him, to keep her safe from her drunken father and… Jake. But kidnapping was not the same thing as stealing. It was a dangerous business. And he could easily get caught.
Arrow, you have until her father’s speech at the park on Wednesday to decide when we liberate her. If you can’t make a reasonable decision before then, I’ll do it myself.
“Fine.”
“Excuse me? Are you alright?” Natalie and Jake stood a few feet away from him, looking like they thought he was a dangerous crazy, so to speak.
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” Arrow questioned, taking a few steps backward.
“You were talking to yourself, and you sounded kind of lost.” Jake put his arm protectively around Natalie, eyes narrowed with distrust.
Kill him now. Dagger hissed vengefully. How dare that boyu touch his property!
“No. I won’t!” Arrow hollered at Dagger, enveloping himself in flame.
Nate and Jake watched in disbelief as the kid either yelled at himself, or them, and then disappeared in a burst of flame. “Did you see that?” Nate asked, an excited tone coming into her voice. “It was the Phantom Thief!”
“No way, Nate. How do you know?”
“I saw a news report on him! One of the witnesses said he disappeared in a burst of fire like this kid just did!”
“C’mon. I’m going to take you home.”
*****
Down in the sewers, Arrow paced back and forth, as Dagger berated him again.
What were you thinking? They know what we look like now, and will probably send the police after us!
“They didn’t see my face, Dagger. I had my hood up.”
Still! I’m ashamed of you Arrow. Do you want us to get caught?
“No! I just-“
You just what?
“Dagger, I’m not you. I’m not strong like you, and I don’t deal with pressure easily. So sue me. I got us out of there before they learned about you, right?”
I suppose. No raids for a while. Let’s sell that crap we got from the last one and wait until things settle down a little.
“Alright.”
*****
As Natalie lay in bed, her sides aching from the vicious beating she had been dealt when she got home, thinking about the day’s events. I met the Phantom Thief… She thought in disbelief. He had been wearing one of those cloaks that had a piece of fabric in the hood to cover your face, but had sounded young, and scared. Why? Why did he feel the need to steal? She wondered what his parents were like. Probably not very good if their child felt the need to steal. “Who are you, Phantom?” She whispered as her eyes closed, and she fell asleep. “Who are you…?”
“We’re no one, Lady Amonta.” Dagger whispered from outside her window. But they would be someone, to her.
Let’s get out of here.
“No. Not yet.”
Tomorrow is Wednesday. Arrow reminded him. And I’ve made my decision.
“Really? That’s great! When do we kidnap her?”
We don’t. YOU do.
“Figures. But no. You will do it, and it will be tomorrow.”
Dagger I-
“It’s the least you can do, after that episode this morning!” Dagger hissed, jumping down from her window and landing nimbly on his feet. He ran off, back to their home in the sewers, the one where Lady Amonta would be living in with them.
*****
We could take her now you know… no one is looking.
“No, Dagger. I won’t kidnap her. Not yet.” Arrow whispered, looking around the park, where citizens lingered, listening to Charles Amonta, the most prominent member of the Democratic party’s speech, about how if he were elected, blah blah blah abortion, blah blah blah, end the war. Next to him, a bright smile on her face stood his daughter, Natalie, or Nate, Amonta, ready to help add-on to her father’s campaign.
Such a pretty smile. What a shame it’s fake.
“You don’t know that for sure.” Nervously, Arrow pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head, it’s black veil hiding his face.
Of course I do. You know as well as I that her father beats her, and I’m sure it’s all she can do to stop herself from killing him right now. If only some brave young hero would end her suffering. It’s a shame there aren’t any heroes here. Only pansies. Pansies who continue to say they need to watch her little more before liberating her, with no intention of actually doing so.
“Shut up!” He yelled, causing the elderly ladies nearest to him to give him a frightened look and scurry away. Twitching as Dagger took over, he bent over writhing in pain, but no one seemed to notice.
“Ahh. Much better.” Dagger stretched and walked off toward the podium, a wicked smile plastered to his face.
I hate it when you do that.
“Miss Amonta! How nice to see you!” He said as he reached the stage, pulling off his hood.
“Likewise. Could I inquire as to your name?”
“I’m Dagger.” He said, taking Natalie’s hand to help her down. “I’m a friend of Jakes, we met at that party? You were kinda drunk, so it’s okay if you don’t remember.” He whispered, an amused tone to his voice.
“Yeah, I remember that…” She said, not noticing they were walking off, away from the other people.
Dagger, this isn’t right!
“I figured you would! Anyway, Jake wanted me to come get you so he could show you his newest hide out.” He said, ignoring Arrow.
“Oh! Alright!” Together they walked off toward the street, but Dagger stopped in the middle of the park, and pulled the cover off a man hole. “Where are we-“
“C’mon! We’re gonna go meet Jake!” With that, he slid into the sewers, landing gracefully on the concrete below.
“Okay…” She climbed down the ladder carefully, stepping next to Dagger just as he began to writhe in pain. “Dagger, what’s wrong?”
Damn you! I got her down here, Arrow, why did you do that?
“Because I could…” Arrow whispered, before turning to Nate. “Nothing’s wrong! Sorry about that, I just get stomach pains sometimes.”
“I see.” Nate said, but she wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t the same self-assured guy she had been talking to a few minutes ago. Something was up. “Where’s Jake?”
“Right through here” Arrow assured her, opening the heavy door to his chambers.
“Jake?” She called, as the doors slammed shut behind her. “What the hell?” She yelled, as Arrow slumped to the ground, his head held in his hands.
You did it! Congratulations, Arrow, you aren’t a pansy today!
“Leave me alone, Dagger.”
Fine. No need to get snippy.
“Wait a second! Natalie yelled, marching over to them. “You’re Dagger!”
“Umm, yeah… I just talk to myself sometimes….” Arrow lied, looking up at her. Oh crap… Natalie thought. I’m trapped in the sewers with some schizophrenic freak, who’s probably going to rape and murder me.
“What do you want with me?” She cried, sitting on a couch in the corner.
“We saw the way your father treated you, and thought it was unfitting for someone with your beauty.” Arrow said, as Dagger had coached him to.
*****
“I’m sorry sir, but she can’t really be considered missing until-“
“To Hell with your laws!” Charles yelled, his face purple with rage. “Where is my daughter?”
“Well, Mr. Amonta, sir, before twenty four hours are up, Natalie is considered a runaway. There’s nothing we can do.”