[Ander]

(Human form)

Pressed to the side of the door, a woman worked furiously. But by Xai're! Could this grate be any more difficult? Paragon claws had been forsaken for the hard scrape of a metal file, which hummed furiously as she labored. Sparks flew from the bar she was trying to remove, hissing faintly as they fell - and muted by her skin. But mute, that was the key. She didn't grunt, or growl at her work. The file did not whine, by some talent of its wielder. And as another one of the bars came loose, slowly wobbling in her grasp, Crymes twisted it quickly to the left and listened to it let out only a quick snap.

Her smile was small, but satisfied. Silence, that was the key.

Of course, silence wouldn't matter much if someone were to see her now. The Human-form Paragon, Hollowheart-scale boots planted on the steel door before her. Hair the neon orange of flames arcing down her back, brightening her simpler white blouse and beige slacks by comparison. Holding herself to the door with only a rigid grip, that slackened as she held a section of iron bar in her hand. Who wouldn't realize what she was up to, looking upon her? The neat stack of other bars on a towel at her feet obviously came from the grating in the door's only peephole. And that grating, currently missing a section across it's middle. No one could miss that. And Crymes wasn't making it any better, reaching an arm through the hole to unlock the door from inside. But of course, she didn't plan to be seen.

[Jaykobell]

One thing that was nice about stealing in the evening, or in some time close to the pitch-black night, was that no one, not even a cat, would be there to witness it. That was the advantage of pilfering belongings during the darkest hours; but this wonderful advantage came with another certain problem. If there's no crowd to hide any noise and sound, how could one steal without being heard? That was quite a problem for most, if not all, thieves.

But this one knew better but to make a ruckus.

The human-Rabbot knew better but to engage with the Paragon female from up close. But even though she might not get to socialize with the human-Paragon, fire-red hair and snow-white blouse shining through the night, she would, at the very least, get to see how she worked. If she could see the pattern Crymes used to commit her delinquencies, then Elina would have the advantage against this had-to-catch thief. She had something humans did not have. Only because of this was the female Rabbot so certain that she stood a chance against this rebellious Paragon thief. At all cost, she had to analyze this robber. Yes; her goal here was not to attack or hinder the thief, but to analyze and form a strategy that could be used to drag her into a nice, cold prison cell.

Just for the occasion, the Rabbot had forsaken her yellow clothes; yellow is too flashy, too obvious when working at night. Instead, she had settled for an all-black outfit, along with a small, black hat, that looked rather similar to a winter hat, under which her shiny blond hair was neatly hidden, for blond is also a color that is too easy to spot during the night. Well, heck, she looked like a thief herself at that very moment! Only her clear blue eyes betrayed her position.

She watched from the wall of another building, her back pressed against the cold stone. She would take a peek beyond the wall now and then, but not for long, for fear that the Paragon would see her. She, too, had to avoid being spotted. And she, too, had to keep quiet.

Intrigued, Elina observed as the Paragon made her next move...

[Ander]

Not even her boot heels clicked; rubber soles made everything better. Crymes was nothing but confident as she stepped into the room, smiling at its sparse furnishings. Apparently, no one thought to decorate this storeroom of Medicai's medicine. But then, how would they? She supposed that it was just one more of many, scattered around the City. But this one? This place has the least protection. This one saw the smallest amount of use. And according to her benefactor, this one was the only on that had what he needed.

She pressed a finger to her chin, parting thin lips, and closing them at once. Had she almost spoken aloud? Sloppy of her, sloppy... But... were she a rare physic, needed by some mad Bleeder (because he was mad; Crymes was sure of that, no matter how much he was paying her), where would she hide? The woman touched nothing unnecessarily, skirting surgical tables laid out with vials and beakers for who-knows-what. She was no medic. What she taking meant nothing to her, as did the one she was handing it over to. Not even the money meant a great deal. No... it was the job. The testing of limits, the serenade of silence. And every so often, the thrill of giving the slip to unexpected visitors. She hurried now, picking up her pace as emerald eyes focused on a door in the back of the room. A careful flick of her claws opened it - to the unwelcome sound of bone meeting metal, quietly, but still Crymes winced - and bared to her row after row of tightly sealed bottles. Medicines, colorful and gleaming, all tightly air-sealed and corked for her convenience. Crymes slipped easily into the storage, pulling a folded note from her blouse as she did. She couldn't even pronounce that... but the old boy had given her a fair enough description.

[Jaykobell]

Elina observed Crymes carefully as the human Paragon headed inside the building, confidence emitting from the thief in enormous waves. That Paragon felt so confident that Elina hesitated, just for a second, about following the thief inside. If she turned tail now, how could she live up to her father's expectations? She was prodigy in the art of graphology; while tracking down Crymes had nothing to do with her actual job... Crymes was still a criminal. And besides, Elina's talent was often used to uncover the deepest secrets criminals were hiding. A twitch, a nervous tic, a word out of place, an unusual action... Elina will see them, all of them, before you can even realize anything yourself. In other words, she was a trump card. And to be a good trump card, you have to know your business. Tonight's objective: obtain as many informations about the Paragon criminal Crymes as humanly possible. If Elina had to come in contact with the thief, then she'd interact with Crymes. Taken she wasn't silenced by the Paragon first.

Carefully, keeping low to the shadows and moving as quietly as possible, Elina made her way to the currently-being-robbed building, passing by the towel and the bunch of metal bars. She kept a good distance between her and the target, for in case she got spotted, she'd have enough time to run and find a good hiding place. She reminded herself, again: her objective wasn't to get killed, but to observe. Observe. That was the keyword.

She saw her chance when Crymes entered yet another room, one that lead to some rows of numerous bottles and vials of medicine. Just like the Paragon, the Rabbot B1 wasn't a doctor either; she had no idea, not even a tiny concept, of what these could do, and what their purpose was. But it's not like the bottles and vials were important... Only her target mattered, along with the interactions she'd have with any item or person. The purpose of any of those afore mentioned things was not needed.

Unfortunately, the Rabbot learned, quickly and loudly enough, that stealth and stalking wasn't quite her forte. As she was heading for the second room, she accidently hit one of the surgical tables that were hidden in the dark, and the bump was strong enough to knock one or two beakers to the floor, breaking them to smithereens; in other words, making quite a serenade... but without any notes of silence. Quickly the human Rabbot turned around to stare at the table, suddenly panic-stricken. There was no way Crymes hadn't heard that obnoxious noise.

Elina turned to face the Paragon's red-and-white figure. There was no need to run away now; this would give her the perfect opportunity to meet with this thief. Elina herself looked like a burglar in this pitch-black outfit; perhaps Crymes would be fooled into believing Elina was another robber, coming for some loot? The title of thief was better to a robber than the title of investigator or police officer, was it not? Either way... she had just busted her one chance of analyzing her target thoroughly.

Now for plan B...

[Ander]

Purple, with yellow bubbles... Iridescent green... Aha! There it was: puce, with viscous bubbles. Crymes plucked the small bottle from one of the lower shelves, quickly scanning them for more. There wasn't much of this stuff in her hand, but there didn't seem to be any other quantities, so... That Bleeder would have to be happy with what he got. She straightened, getting a better look at her quarry in the the well-lit room. He better be happy with it - he was shelling out an arm and a leg for it, after all.

Of course, she wouldn't be paid for anything if she dropped the bottle, which she nearly did as she jumped. The softer bump had been little more than a blip to sensitive ears; she might have known something was wrong then. But the sudden crashing was a complete earsore; one not easily missed. The Paragon's eyes narrowed. Who had caused that cacophony, in the middle of the stillness she had so carefully created? And more important,did they have any idea of the act they had just interrupted?

Crymes moved, as always, quickly - she had a plan arranged for these situations. The bottle vanished into one of her boots. The note bearing its description returned to her blouse, changing hands with a laminated tag, which she pinned to her shirt. 'LightHaven Aide: Cry Wolfe'. A simple alias, but she had written it carefully; it had fooled many others. Thanks to this name tag, Cry Wolfe was an acknowledged employee of LightHaven, and had been for several months now. Never mind the nice bonus that came with being on their payroll.

Pinning on her false ID, Crymes turned, allowing her heels to make the tiniest thuds as she walked briskly from the storage room. She looked for all the world like a frightened employee as she widened her eyes. She knew the expression on her face - she had practiced it more times than she cared to count. "A thief!" The Paragon cried, voice quavering in sheer skill. But even acting, she watched the, hah, intruder carefully. She had an odd sensation that her typical ruse wouldn't work on this Evelonian.

[Jaykobell]

Elina watched as the thief acted quickly, swiftly, carefully. She saw the human Paragon switch things from her blouse, but considering Elina was facing Crymes's back, the Rabbot girl hadn't had the chance to see what were those two things that had been so swiftly swapped. But it mattered not; whatever it was, it didn't matter. The target. That was her goal.

Elina stood still as Crymes came along, a look of surprise on her face as the other thief -- the genuine robber -- squeaked the words: "A thief!" Elina's outfit had managed to give her an identity of sorts, one that was convenient enough, at least for this situation. To add to the realism, Elina had just the right kind of weapon; specifically, one commonly known as a "shoge," or "kyoketsu shoge." A weapon from the Asian culture, it was rather simple: it was a rope that held two items by each end; one of the items was a metal ring, big enough for a hand to fit in; the other end held a strange knife-looking item, with had a rather strange shape. While the blade itself was a straight as a regular knife, there was another bit to the blade. By the base of the hilt was a curvy upside down U-shaped blade. If one would look at it well, it would make a great weapon for a thief. You hold the ring, throw the robe, the curvy blade hangs onto an edge, and there you go, easy access to the top floor or a building or anything of the sort. A weapon that could be used to escape in dire situations. Yes.

Elina observed Crymes -- or rather, 'Cry Wolfe' -- as Elina herself was observed. She had just been robbing a medical facility, she hoped to fool the human Rabbot into believing the Paragon was just passing by or something of the like? And why wasn't Crymes running away? Anyone that cares to life usually runs away from thieves and criminals; yet Crymes stood there, with that look on her face. True, not every victim ran off after spotting a criminal... but most did. Plus, Crymes just looked... well, suspicious. But Elina was an investigator of sorts, yes?

Playing along with Crymes, Elina took her weapon from the small belt around her waist and straightened the rope, holding the ring with one hand and the hilt of the blade with the other hand. "Ya shouldn't invaded som'one else's turf, ya know," she indicated with a vulgar accent, hoping that would add to the acting. Most thieves were people who lived in the streets or who were raised by street gangs, right? Some of them, anyhow. Again Elina straightened the rope and took a step towards Crymes. "What'cha doin' here, eh?"

[Ander]

Crymes shifted slightly, the angle of her hips moving away from the door. It seemed as if she would try to edge her way to the room's exit on the left. The look of surprise and horror stayed on her face, carefully preserved; but never reaching her eyes. Those were a bit more alert, regarding the "thief" that troubled her mission. In any other case, this would have worked out perfectly. She in civilian wear, with the nametag that deemed her a perfectly legit employee. And this girl, dressed in the classic clothes of a criminal-in-action. It was one of the best situations that Crymes could ever hope for: a crisp, clean getaway, signed and guaranteed.

Except, of course, that it wasn't that simple. The shifted Paragon's bright eyes roved over the woman in her path. She was altogether indefinable, even with her experience; she was certain that she had never encountered anything like her before. For one, she a bit too delicate to match that rough brogue. For another... she was too alert. It didn't seem to Crymes that she believed any of this. And if she was smart enough to disbelieve it, then she was smart enough to escape it.

Mentally, the woman frowned. Escaping little parties like this was her thing. She didn't plan to change that.

"I- I was just doing inventory." Crymes stammered. The fear was well-rehearsed, no? "I w- work here. And who are you? I've never seen you." That part, at least, was the truth. Taking a small step to the side, those eyes sharpened noticeably. If the other woman was only playing the charade, Crymes would be sure to let her know how serious the game. "I- I... I should scream, that's what I should do. There's not one in Medicai that would just... the would just let you do this! People need this medicine!"

...For instance, people like her. And, like her benefactor.

[Jaykobell]

Let's just say Elina was stumped as to what to do next. What she knew was that Crymes was playing her self-appointed role very carefully; as it was to be expected. You can't very well rush into a robbery, can you? You have to plan things, and you have to think of a solution would someone interfere with your work. So was the way of thieves, and it would probably never change. Well, it was the way of most thieves, anyhow. Some of the poor, desperate ones weren't so keen on organization. Rush in and rush out, and run with your loot as fast as you can. Takes every kind to make a world.

Elina figured she'd lose this role-playing if it were to continue. Any normal thief would run for his life if someone threatened to scream for help. Time for plan B. She'd bust her charade... but she'd make sure to bust Crymes's as well. She tightened the shoge's rope. "An employee, yes...?" She dropped the whole gangster accent; first, it was way too vulgar, and second, it was way too complicated to even pronounce and remember. "Why would a legal employee sneak in at night? Would you be a worker on a night time shift... There would be other employees and the building would be lighted." Crymes had attacked... a storage room, right? So the building wasn't lighted anywhere. If she were a legal employee, why wouldn't she just turn on the lights? Wouldn't it be easier to see? "What about the iron bars outside, beside the door? Any employee would have a key, or a set of keys, to open the doors he has to open... Wouldn't you agree?" She gripped the hilt of the shoge's blade tightly and pointed it in Crymes's direction. "I'm not a thief... but you're not an employee, either. How long are you going to keep the charade up... Crymes?"

Oh, there was no surprise there; Elina knew Crymes's name, of course. After all, what would you look like, chasing a criminal you didn't know the name of? Wouldn't that be silly? While the Rabbot knew the name of the Paragon, Elina ignored if Crymes knew anything about Elina herself. Either way, Elina hoped she'd managed to break through Crymes's charade, even though it had meant revealing her own.

[Ander]

One of Crymes' hands visibly twitched at her side, bursting into Paragon claw for only a moment. The fear on her face dulled into fury, smoldering in her eyes as she looked at Elina. At least she had had an inkling, this time, that Cry would be of no use to her: not up against an obstacle such as this. Part of this was her own fault, of course. Coming unprepared was the downfall of one with her business - and she had brought nothing that would see her easily out of this one.

"I knew ye' were too smart for a robber." Crymes said this quietly, an edge to her tone that reflected in the way she stared at the woman across from her. She didn't look as if she would try for a quick getaway anymore. 'Cry Wolfe' was no longer anything more than a name on Crymes' chest, for better or worse. The thief-for-hire was now facing Elina, body taking an ominous step in her direction despite the threat of the mysterious shoge. Crymes had never seen such a weapon before - although she was sure that was its purpose - and ahe wasn't in the habit of fearing things she knew nothing about. It looked gods-useful, though.

"So ye' know me, eh? How?" She wasn't aware that she had a reputation to precede her. Unless suddenly skill and silence themselves were things worth talking about? "And while we're making introductions, who and what are you?" She wasn't used to being walked in on. So of course, she wanted to know who to credit with the feat of catching her in the act. Not that she planned on letting the other bask in that glory for long.

[Jaykobell]

Were she not accustomed to such a stare, Elina would have probably flinched at Crymes's glare. Besides, she was too satisfied with what she had just accomplished. She had feared Crymes would try to keep the charade going, that she would try to put an end to this unusual meeting; but luck had been on Elina's side, and Crymes was now keeping the role of the employee under the carpet. The first step was a success.

Elina smiled ever so lightly at Crymes's comment. My, had Elina became so smart that her intelligence was visible to the naked eye? This thief was almost flatting her, almost. But flattery would the Paragon nowhere. "I'm touched. Although I would have expected more from a thief of your caliber." If Crymes wanted to play with flattery, Elina would play with bluntness. To each her own. Even though Crymes's comment wasn't exactly flattery.

How? How had she learned of Crymes's name? It dated back to a little while. Elina figured it'd be easier to answer the Paragon's questions if she started by answering Crymes's questions backwards; name and occupation first, methods second. "My name is Elina Toucity, I'm a professional graphologist who helps the police forces find criminals. I participate in various things related to public security, including trials on few occasions.

"I was led to your name through my current work. I read about one of your robberies, and I investigated on my own from there. It has become my personal job to chase you and to bring you to justice. I won't let anyone catch you before me," Elina explained as she quickly slipped a hand behind her back, drawing out a small stick. Elina manipulated it carefully, and within the blink of an eye, the little stick got four times longer, becoming even taller than Elina herself. She then proceeded to stick the hilt of the shoge into the top end of the lance-like weapon, and a loud clicking noise was heard when Elina turned the shoge, locking the blade inside the staff itself, the rope and the ring of the original shoge hanging from the top end of the lance, which was now quite similar to a corbin. She then adopted an offensive position, ready for some fast-paced action. "You've become my personal prey. I've found you now; I won't let you escape," she warned with an emotionless voice, her sharp words betraying her frail form, the corbin pointed in Crymes's direction.

[Ander]

Crymes lifted an eyebrow at Elina's words. She didn't hold with flattery and other such flippant things, so her accuser's words were a bit confusing... But no matter. She didn't have to understand this woman. She just had to get away from her. "Watch your words. Were I to touch you, you'd know it." This was said with an equal lack of emotion, and as casually as if Crymes had been commenting on the weather. She was, surprisingly, not sure what to do with this one. Not that Elina was baffling, no - Crymes had hardly gotten to where she was now by allowing herself to become perplexed by others. At the moment, the Paragon was only torn between objectives: to take this chance, and dispatch the threat; or see to her mission without delay.

She knew that she shouldn't jeopardize her job. She had what she came for; so what she needed to do would be to get away from here. She had neither the time nor the room to fight with an opponent who was already braced for her, and armed besides. Crymes stepped forward once again, lifted a beaker from one of the tables. It was one of the few clean ones here, that she could see, and Elina's face swelled behind its bulbous bottom. Her new objective set: get this beaker back to her benefactor, and make the drop.

"I never knew I had fans," Crymes said wryly, her voice still even. In all truth, she didn't care. She knew, on a level she didn't often think about, that she was wanted in some spheres. She knew that she was always being chased. She had never known, however, that there was one this thorough. "But ye've got the wrong girl. All a'ye righteous types do. Y'see, I'm not a thief of any caliber. I'm not a master bandit. I'm just... a woman who knows her job. And, who does whatever she has to do to get her job done."

[Jaykobell]

Elina wondered, for the briefest of moments, what Crymes had meant by, "Were I to touch you, you'd know it." It took a bit of time for the Rabbot to remember that Crymes was, despite having a human form, a Paragon. And if she was correct, Crymes was a Placid Paragon... with a scorpion tail. And it was needless to say that whatever is associated to scorpions is poisonous. Although Evelon didn't have a lot of poisonous creatures, and scorpions weren't very popular around the Lands, apart from the Scorpinches -- but even those weren't poisonous -- and now, the scorpion-tailed Paragons. While the former weren't dangerous, the former sure could be. Well, maybe the scorpion tails weren't poisonous? Maybe Crymes had just meant that she was talented at fighting people. ... Hm. "I don't need your warning. I'm well-aware of your skills," Elina replied. "But thanks for the warning anyway."

Came Crymes's second comment, Elina grinned slightly, finding the remark somewhat amusing. Fans? Could Elina even be considered as a "fan?" She was just seeking justice, that's all. She wasn't a "fan" of that robber, oh dear Xai're no. "A fan? Oh, you can say it that way, if you like. But unlike most harmless fans, I'm a bit more... rough around the edges, you could say." She wasn't here for an autograph or a hand-shake. She was here to wrap the handcuffs around Crymes's wrists.

But then came a rather interesting thing from the Paragon. "A woman who knows her job...?" Elina echoed with a soft voice, almost to herself. "What you're doing here certainly looks like robbery," she added as she tightened her grip on the corbin. "If you're not a robber, nor a bandit, nor what-have-you... Then what are you?" Doubt started to sprout in Elina's head. What if... well, she didn't quite know, but what if they really were wrong? What if Crymes wasn't actually a robber or anything like that, and was just doing her "job?" What if she were chasing someone that was "innocent" more than anything? What if... she was wrong?

... No. She couldn't be wrong. Robber or not, Crymes had still trespassed; she had to pay for her crime.

[Ander]

Careful to keep her expression composed, Crymes smiled inwardly. Oh, those precious seeds of doubt: the enemy of the righteous. You manage to convince any of that type - Crymes' eyes dulled slightly as she looked at Elina - that they were wrong, even for a moment, and your battle was already half over. Their own misgivings would fight the other half for you; at least, this was so in her experience. Perhaps Elina had a greater conviction than what she was used to. After all, the woman had chased her this far.

Crymes' eyes brightened once more as her focus returned. Convicted or not; that didn't matter. Elina was in her way. That was all. She tightened her muscles carefully, flexing the ones in her hands as completely as she dared without actually moving her fingers. She was, in fact, poisonous - the acid inflicted through claws, teeth, and tail was entirely unpleasant. But Elina's weapon would protect her from any of that today: the Paragon girl was not keen on testing her natural defenses in an uneven fight. Especially given that she did not have her usual element of surprise; Elina had done her research. It was... irritating.

"I told ye," Crymes responded quietly, her hands touching the edges of two tables between them. "I am only a woman who knows her job. And as you already know, who does it well." She paused, tightening her grip on the tables, noticeably perhaps. "I'd like to continue that tradition. So if ye would excuse me, I have somewhere to be." With that the tables upended, propelled by Crymes' claws and Placid strength. They and all their contents - beakers, Bunsen burners, the whole kit n' caboodle - came skidding towards Elina. Hit or miss, Crymes had done all that she intended. The moment that she had sent the tables on their way, the thief was already dashing past them, on a beeline for the door.

[Jaykobell]

"You've already told me this," Elina replied as she tightened the grip on the corbin, noticing Crymes's hands slipping to the tables. Surely the Paragon was going to try something, Elina was sure of it. She tried to keep her eyes both on Crymes and on the table the thief was holding. "What I asked you is what your job is. If you know your job, then it means you have one. If you're not a thief or a criminal, then, pray tell, what is your job?"

But she didn't know whether her question had reached the other girl or not, for right then and there, the tables went flying towards Elina, everything that was on the tables hurled at the Rabbot as well. Two options were available to Elina right now: first, she could try to avoid the tables and attack the run-away thief as quickly as possible; second, she could get rid of the tables, hence protecting herself from the ambush, and then chase the thief. If she kept to the first option, she'd probably get injured; while she could avoid one of the tables, she didn't know if she'd be quick enough to avoid the second table, which would result in unnecessary injuries. If she kept to the second option, she'd probably be able to save herself, but there was no telling if she'd manage to catch up to Crymes, which could result in her losing the Paragon's trace. What to do, what to do? But no more time to think; the tables were already getting too close for comfort. Elina would have to stick with option two.

Swiftly, she slashed at the tables, cutting them in halves and breaking whatever was coming her away; she then quickly gripped the corbin and spun it in front of her so it would act as a shield of sorts. She quickly avoided the broken items and the split tables, giving chase to Crymes as soon as Elina was done with the surprise attack. "You're not getting away!" she called after Crymes, sheathing the corbin behind her back and around her waist so it wouldn't be in her way while she gave chase. She was this close to catching Crymes; she couldn't let that chance slip away!

[Ander]

The flaming-haired woman slid over a table close to the door, sending a glass shattering to the linoleum in her wake. Kicking the table over as she cleared it, Crymes fled through the door she has vandalized. The iron bars were the next things kicked, clanging free of their towel. The Paragon female apparently wanted to leave as many obstacles in her pursuer's path as she could manage.

But as fast as she ran - and run she did, nearly flying (and sorely tempted to) from the storage building and down the street, she could not run fast enough to elude Elina's question. Her job. It wasn't that simple, is what no one else but one who shared her work could understand. What she did was nothing so simple as a job; it was life. Her life. And who she was, no less. More delicate bones, smaller size, lithe frame, gentle eyes - all were geared toward her path of pilferage. But of course, Elina did not share the life she held close, so how would she understand? Crymes could not begin to imagine how she would tell her.

Which meant, of course, that she wouldn't tell her. She would just have to make sure that Elina would not get the chance to ask her that question again. Crymes could hear the drumming of feet not much larger than her own, and swore a deft oath that the tables that had not eliminated her opponent. However, that oath was all she gave, and it was lost to the wind as the thief headed toward the more populated areas of Medicai.