Fish was still unsure about their new employer. It was hard to feel completely safe when it was essentially a trade off for being caught doing a different job. Still, it wasn’t the worst outcome. Fish felt a little better having much more of an idea of the situation they were walking in to. Their previous employer was much more haphazard about how things were handed out. Zarius at least had his things together and could provide an actual dossier for the work.

Having a baby sitter along for the ride wasn’t sitting well with Fish though. Sure, it made sense to have some sort of control to make sure the bird didn’t just bolt or sell them out, but Fish didn’t like it. Cyran likely noticed the kenku often looked towards alleyways are crowded streets as they mad their way through Sol City and to the markets. There were plenty of opportunities for the bird to escape to, but they’d need to be much more clever than just a straight sprint. That works for guards not professionals.

There were a number of reasons Zarius probably chose Cyran for this particular mission. The first one being that the Specter was an expert tracker and known for his ability to hunt down anyone that tried to escape from him, even potential allies that posed a flight risk. The second one being that Cyran was uncommonly good with children, and was generally good enough at keeping an eye on them, watching out for trouble, and catching them in their lies. Those facts, Cyran understood.

What he still didn’t quite get was why Zarius wanted him to spend his evening watching this tiny bird who could have been no more than ten to make sure they didn’t flee during the middle of their test.

It wasn’t that Cyran minded going out on a mission, considering his evening would have been otherwise occupied by working in the Rookery, or spending time with Iryla, or reading alone in his room. But what he was mostly concerned about was why Zarius felt the need to recruit the small birdfolk at all, especially given their apparent age. But when those concerns had been brought up to Zarius, they had been waved away with the insistence that the hopeful thief had potential, and could prove to be a valuable asset with time.

Cyran personally just wanted to make sure that someone kept an eye on the kid and prevent them from getting hurt while they went out on their test from Zarius- to rob a particular home of a valuable trinket. Cyran would keep an eye on them and assess their stealth and adaptability, and report back to Zarius.

The tiefling seemed confident enough that the bird would do well. They were able to break into the Rookery, after all…

He did not elaborate on that, much to Cyran’s alarm. People he cared about lived at the Rookery, and hearing that someone had managed to worm their way in alarmed him. At least they seemed to be an ally for now, even though they looked more interested in finding an escape route than the job.

Cyran walked next to them, pace unhurried so that the kenku could keep up. He had a hand resting on the dagger hooked on his belt, though he didn’t look particularly on guard, posture more like he was taking a relaxing, evening stroll than a breaking and entering mission.

“Looking for something?” He asked eventually, amusement sparkling in his one visible eye. The other was difficult to get a read on, considering it had turned pitch black some time ago after he lost it in a dungeon. It had never quite healed right when healers tried to restore it. “Our destination is this way.” He gestured down the street they were supposed to be heading in.

---

Bringing pet
Yeux (vampire bat)

Cyran could see pretty quickly the bird did have at least some of the skills that Zarius had taken interest in. On one of the times when he would look down, Fish could be seen looking over a new set of rings in their hand. The glint of the gems inside sparkle and reflect in the little black eyes that seem to size up their value. Without a thought the rings are pocketed and they continue onward. Whoever originally owned these they had long passed and the relative silence from the crowd meant they hadn't noticed yet.

They did not respond when Cyran asked what they are looking at, but they do glance up and follow the direction. Sol City was unfamiliar to the kenku yet their eyes were quick to scan the area and draw a mental map to keep that information on lock for later. 

"The target should have a market stall running currently. Fish believes it to be wise to check and make sure they are were expected." If Cyran wasn't already fluent in sign language, Fish would have taken the time on the trip from Darkveil to Sol City to teach him and hash out some of the more specific signs that is particular to what Fish knows.

Was Fish… picking the pockets of passerby as they went? Every once in a while, Cyran would glance over and find the kenku clutching something shiny in their hands, which would smoothly disappear into their pockets and Fish would continue on as if nothing had happened. Their fast hands and propensity for sparkly objects reminded Cyran of his own wayward protege back home in the Ash Lands, and he made a mental note never to introduce Fish and Oriole on the occasion Fish was truly going to be an ally of the Rookery. Together, they’d probably attempt to rob the entirety of the city blind, or land in jail trying.

His questions were met with silence as the bird continued to scan the area. For a moment, Cyran thought they might have been trying to make a quick escape, but then they started fluidly signing to Cyran, a little bit faster than Cyran was accustomed to. He’d been learning how to interpret the elaborate hand gestures from Eirynor over the course of his stay at the Rookery, but sometimes it was difficult to teach an old dog new tricks, and his progress at learning it was frustratingly slow. But the work was worth it to learn how to better communicate with Eirynor, and as he’d quickly learnt, Fish as well.

What he managed to pick up was that Fish wanted to go to the market and determine if their target was still set up at the stall. Cyran couldn’t help but crack a smile at the kid’s prompt response, like they fancied themselves a proper little businessman. “I think the open-air market is somewhere down that way.” He had only been to Sol City once before, but that trip had been enough for him to pick up the general layout of the city streets. Just to make sure, his directions were right, Cyran lifted a hand to gently nudge the sleeping creature nestled in his hood, who stirred with an annoyed huff. He scratched the bat on the head, which finally managed to jostle Yeux enough to rouse the bat from its slumber.

He would quietly send the bat off in the direction of the market to scout the area and relay the information back, but Cyran would keep that to himself. This was meant to be a test, and he wanted to see how well Fish could handle themselves. That included navigation and tracking. He would step in and intervene if Fish needed it, but for now he wanted to see how far Fish could get by themselves.

And it wouldn’t hurt to quiz their memory as well.

“Remind me what we’re here for, again.” Cyran requested as they continued along the busy path.

"The Sun Stone, a yellow topaz gemstone in a kite shaped cut, 15 by 11 millimeters in size, vitreous luster, said to contain the light of the sun and can be embedded into a magical conduit to enhance the magical abilities of the wearer, especially those who use fire magic. The latter part is not proven, but regardless the value of the gem is its real importance."



Fish practically recited the mission statement they were given to the last detail. The kenku pauses a moment to look around as they got closer to the market. They scan to try and find places to get a good vantage point, but seeing how this place is designed, this was one of the moments where getting high up was not a good option. Too many of these stalls had cloth awnings overhead to give themselves shade even in the winter meaning they would see nothing from high up.



Thankfully, the small stature of the bird meant slipping into a crowd was fairly easy. With how quickly Fish slips into the crowd, there may be a moment when Cyran feels they have made an escape only for the bird to return, looking up to him. "Keep up."



Fish was in fact a little business bird, even if they had taken this job under duress they were going to be a professional with their incredibly strict expecations -- none of which were communicated to Cyran.

Fish almost seemed annoyed that their memory was being brought into question, but faithfully began to recite the item they were after with a businessman’s efficiency, even going so far as listing the dimensions of the gem and its properties. Cyran nodded along until Fish finished, impressed at the child’s memory. He himself usually didn’t bother remembering such fine details. “Good. You have an impressive memory.” He praised, but Fish honestly didn’t seem to care for Cyran’s compliments, as the small corvid scampered away, skittering through the crowd on their small legs.

It was at that moment Yeux returned to Cyran, nestling on Cyran’s shoulder and nestling in the safety of his hair. Cyran halted, running his finger along the little animal’s fuzzy hair. “Hm? You found the stall?”

The little bat grumbled and curled up, returning to his slumber.

Fish returned a moment later, scuttling back to Cyran before promptly urging him to speed up his pace. “Of course.” Cyran said, amusement still evident in his tone. He couldn’t help it- really, he should have been taking this mission more seriously, but it was just too cute watching them move about and take everything so seriously. He’d always had a soft spot for birds, especially corvids.

He quickened his pace and set out after Fish, already aware of exactly where the stall was thanks to Yeux’s assistance. He could have told Fish, but he wanted to see how quickly the little thief could figure out the location for themselves. He used similar training exercises when working with Oriole. The awnings of the stalls would make it difficult for them to get an aerial view, and they would have a difficult time asking around as their communication was limited. Short of wandering around, Fish’s options were somewhat limited.

… Perhaps Cyran could offer a little help.

“Would you like me to lift you up for a better view?” He asked kindly, completely unaware of what kind of negative reaction this might evoke from the young thief. “I could put you on my shoulders, if you need.”

"No need for lifting, Fish can climb." Two knives are quickly drawn and spun, the gesture Fish makes could either be stabbing or climbing a rock face. Who's to say truly?



There is a little bit of a prideful swelling of the chest when Cyran does mention their good memory. Fish isn't the type to stop and thank someone for recognizing their genius, but hearing it does give them the tiniest of boosts.



The kenku hops around until the find a nice little spot just off the market to sit the still allows them a good view of the area. It also didn't look suspicious for some people to get a break from the crowd near the market. Cyran is offered a stick of spiced and roasted meats, Fish having another in their hand. Another pilfered product from the bird, but this time to be shared.



"4 point 2 meters northwest of here.....Older dwarf, scar over right portion of her mouth, beard clasp engraved with the symbol of House Dzar'duin, target is currently at the stall." It seems Fish has noted their mark is here where they were expected to be.



For now though, it seems the bird is content to do a little bit of people watching and intel gathering. By listening to the crowd, the both of them could hear any changes in the conversations, if their target suddenly had to leave, potentially see other targets worth robbing.

… Was that sign meant to represent a knife or a climbing pick? Cyran wasn’t sure, and he didn’t think he wanted to know. He still followed along until the Kenku scuttered off towards a quiet part of the market street near a corner wall, where a couple of crates rested that Fish could easily clamber up. They produced a couple of skewers seemingly from nowhere, offering one to Cyran without a word. Cyran stared down at it, only wondering if this might have been some poisoning attempt on the bird’s part to make an escape, but they seemed to be taking this seriously, and not as interested in running away as Cyran might have thought. Besides, he hadn’t had the chance to eat dinner, and he was getting a bit hungry.

He took a small bite of the proffered meal while Fish relayed more information on their mark. They’d successfully spotted the stall that Yeux pointed out, where the dwarven man was currently haggling with what looked like an unsatisfied customer. Even though they’d spotted their mark, Fish seemed content to sit and observe for a bit, scoping out the busy markets of Sol City. Cyran wouldn’t make a move until they did- this was where the real challenge was. Fish could get closer and scout the stall to check whether the gem was there, but that would require fine stealth that was a lot different than simply scouting out an open area.

Zarius seemed to think that Fish had promise, and had made it decently far into the Rookery before their mission was interrupted by Ebony, but an outdoor mission would pose different challenges. He settled against the wall, waiting to see what Fish would do, but curious to know a little more about the little thief Zarius wanted to hire. In this line of work, information was crucial for understanding how to work with others, knowing how they thought and what they valued. He already knew that Fish seemed to think in objective numbers and facts, like a financier keeping a ledger of his assets, so to speak. But aside from that, Cyran didn’t know much about them. “Where do you normally work from, Fish?” He asked kindly. Zarius had implied that the thief wasn’t an Ashlands native, and he didn’t seem to be familiar with Sol City.

Fish watches Cyran take a bit, little beady eyes staring at the elf. Are they waiting to see if some hidden poison takes effect? Just staring? The birds mind is an enigma. They had been purposefully vague with their experience with Zarius, giving as much as they could without entirely selling out their former co-workers, so it makes sense Cyran would be curious. Fish was still somewhat unaware of how impressive breaking into the Rookery was. It was one of the easier entrances they’ve made.

“Zeinav.” Fish only answers the question asked as they turn their attention to the market stall. It seemed someone has started asking about the gem they were after. It’s mostly haggling and embellishments about quality. Fish has listened to enough speeches from Morrigan to know when people are trading lies. The buyer doesn’t seem serious, but one thing is confirmed. The merchant has the gem on them. It may be hidden away in a locked box, but it was there.

The far off and disinterested look in Fish’s eyes evaporates in a moment as now they scan the crowd to look for any openings, memorize the flow of the crowd and create a plan to get through this

He took another bite of the skewer, nodding along as Fish replied in a short, one-word answer. He’d been to Zeinav once before, but only for a particular mission, and hadn’t had a chance to learn much more about its criminal underground. He kept his eyes on the drwarven man at the stall, though he continued this casual line of conversation. “What kind of work did you do in Zeinav?” His tone was kind, but there was an underlying edge to it, the traces of the assassin bleeding in. Despite the fact that this was still a normal outing, he was supposed to be assessing Fish for Zarius on top of keeping an eye on them.

The argument looked like it was beginning to escalate, though from here, Cyran couldn’t quite make out the details of the argument. The semantics of what they were arguing about didn’t matter, as the seller in his anger had reached below the stall and pulled out a small box, procuring a chain from his neck. Cyran squinted, making out the key on the end that the merchant used to unlock the box, showing off the product to the potential buyer.

The Sun Stone.

Cyran watched the box just as carefully as Fish, following the box’s movements as the merchant closed it once more, returning it to somewhere under the stall. The key was tucked back under the merchant’s shirt. A relatively simple enough mission- obtaining the box itself would be easy. Getting the key from the merchant would be a different matter altogether.

Fish’s dark eyes were calculating as they tried to parse out an angle of attack. Perhaps they would enlist in Cyran’s help for creating a distraction. Cyran’s talents mostly lie in disappearing to the shadows, fading from existence until it was like he hadn’t existed at all, but he was adept enough at making noises that might draw out the merchant from his stall. Fish might attempt to take care of this himself, but a characteristic of a smart criminal was using all one’s resources to their disposal. If Fish asked Cyran to do something they weren’t capable of, he would.

“Do you have an idea how you’re going to get the trinket?” He asked.

“Keep them busy and Fish will do the rest.” Fish hoists themselves off the box and hits the ground without a noise. Given their set of skills Cyran was the best option for talking to the merchant given Fish’s distinct lack of a voice. The way Fish saw it, if this was the right stone then there was no need to be complicated. They knew where it was and it’s not like it was given any special kind of security it seemed. Getting the key could be a problem, but Fish was confident enough in their own ability.

Once more, the kenku slips quietly into the crowd. Fish enjoys making their way through crowds like this more than they probably should, but this was one of those moments that show beneath it all Fish is still a kid and is making their own little game out of it. If Cyran spots them, he can see how the bird seems to intentionally step between peoples feet at points just to see if they can get out of the way fast enough.

Before long they have traveled across the market, slipping through a fabric stall beside their target to get closer. Now all they had to do was wait to see if they would take Cyrans bait.

Cyran nodded. “I can do that.” He picked himself from the wall at the same time that Fish hopped off the box, breezing silently across the streets. The crowd barely paid him any attention, almost as if he didn’t even exist as he kept a close eye on Fish. The little bird was making a game of hopping between the feet of passerby, the first glimpse of anything childlike Cyran had seen in them since they’d set out on this venture.

Cyran’s brows furrowed.

How old were they? He knew they were young, but their demeanor seemed so clipped and professional that it was easy to forget that this was a young kid. Cyran assumed they were a teenager, but he was beginning to wonder if that assumption was wrong. He’d need to figure out how old Fish actually was once they met back up. But for now, he needed to focus on the task at hand- giving Fish an opening to get that box.

The dwarven merchant was so engrossed in polishing a metal shield as Cyran approached that he didn’t look up from his work at first, not until Cyran cleared his throat, awkward, and tried to drum his fingers against the table to get the man’s attention.

“Excuse me. Is this the Dzar’duin’s stall?”

The dwarf grunted, sizing Cyran up before scratching at his beard. “Depends. Who’s askin’?”

“Just an interested party who has need use of your expertise.” It was no secret to anyone that met him that Cyran wasn’t an especially adept liar, but there were methods of overcoming that- sprinkling in kernels of truth. Technically, he was interested in the trinkets of House Dzar’duin… just not as a paying customer.

He gave the dwarf a patient smile.

The skepticism didn’t exactly melt from the hardened merchant’s face, but money was a language he understood. “Depends on what yer lookin’ for.”

“I hear that your family specializes in gemstones.” He’d managed to do some homework of his own on the way here. Perhaps his own investigation wasn’t as Fish, but it was important to understand what kind of people you were hired to kill or rob from. He knew exactly how many members of House Dzar’duin there were, their business exploits, the clan’s abuse of workers in their mine to increase production. None of that was of great importance here, but he still kept that information in mind should the need arise.

“And I was hoping you could verify the quality of this gem for me.” He continued after a moment’s pause. Here, he procured a ring from his pocket- if Fish was watching this interaction from where they were safely out of sight, they might wonder where Cyran had obtained such a fine piece of jewelry, one that looked like it contained a piece of fine pearl inside. Cyran deposited it smoothly on the counter for the merchant to take up. “See, my wife insisted this engagement ring contains a genuine mother-of-pearl, but I’m skeptical. It’s good, but the forgery looks too perfect to me to be real. It wouldn’t do for me to go around wearing a fake stone to high society parties- would you settle this disagreement for us?”

The dwarf looked down at the stone, before glancing up at Cyran with skepticism apparent in his eyes. The ring truly did look the genuine article, and any amount of investigation would have told the merchant it was. But Cyran didn’t need him to examine it for long, only enough to give Fish an opportunity to dart out from the shadows wherever they were hiding to grab the box.

Eventually drawn in by the prospect of pay from what he believed to be a well-off customer, the dwarf swiped the ring off the table. “I’ll see what I could do.” He grunted before turning to the table at his side, away from the stall.

Fish waits until their target has sufficiently taken the bait before moving in to do anything. When the merchant's back is turned towards the other table, the kenku leans over to swipe the box from its place in the man's satchel. Fish gives the box a look over in their tiny taloned hands, it was a well made and sturdy box. The lock was definitely high-priced, but nothing Fish couldn't undo. Fish would just need time to do so and feet away from the person you stole it from was a bad location to do that.



Right now, the biggest concern is finding a way to signal to Cyran that the job is done.........but Fish could also put all of the heat on Cyran and escape. Fish knew they were being tested and chaffed a bit at needing to prove themselves, much like any kid being forced to do something they didn't like.



Think, think, think....Idea.



The kenku takes some string from their pouch to tie one end around a leg of the table the merchant was at and the other to Cyran's boot. Sticking low to the ground, they move past Cyran tucking a feather into his hand. Loose feathers had become Fish's favorite form of silent contact.



With hope when Cyran turned to eventually follow after Fish he would topple the table and chaos would ensue. Meanwhile, the bird has slunk back to the alley they first stopped into.

“Looks like real pearl to me.”

Concealed in the shadow of the stall’s tent, Cyran was more connected with the darkness than he usually was. Enough so that he could make out the vague outline of a small figure hidden in the shadows, creeping slowly closer to the stall.^[1] Out of the corner of his darkened eye, Cyran kept an eye on the bird, watching as they ducked under the stall and procured the box without making so much as a peep- the vendor, none the wiser.

“Is that so?” Cyran asked, turning his attention back to the merchant but still watching the little bird out of the corner of his awareness. What were they doing? They didn’t look like they were leaving, rather messing around with a piece of string, darting from the merchant back to Cyran…

Oh.

Cyran had to stop himself from laughing in bewilderment as he felt a small tightness around his ankle, realizing what Fish was planning. Was this some kind of prank? They didn’t seem like the type for such tricks. Perhaps this was some attempt of their own to find even ground with Cyran, or even hinder him before making their escape. Well, Cyran could play at that game, if that’s what Fish wanted to do.

He waited until Fish was completely out of sight once more, tucking the feather that had somehow found its way into his hand gently into his pocket before giving the merchant a smile and shaking his head as if to say, well, what can you do? “It seems I’ve lost this particular debate. Thank you for checking, nonetheless.” He pulled a handful of solars from his pocket and set them on the counter. If Fish was watching from their hiding place, they would have noticed Cyran tap one of his heels on the cobblestone, which seemed to trigger a concealed blade on the bottom of his boot- smoothly, Cyran moved his leg to cut the string that tethered him to the merchant. Another tap, and the knife was gone.^[2]

Perhaps it was a little rude of him to spoil the kid’s fun, but the pranks and games could wait for later. Fish had the box, and Cyran had questions. He brushed through the crowd once more until he made his way to where Fish should have been waiting for him, assuming they hadn’t simply taken off by now. He found the bird waiting in the alley he expected to find them in, unaccompanied by any sounds of chaos that the little thief was expecting. There were a myriad of questions that Cyran could have asked them- namely, have you secured the package, or did everything go smoothly, but the only thing that Cyran could think to ask at the present moment was,

“How old are you, Fish?”

---

1. Shadow Sight
2. Ice Skates

Fish watched with mild annoyance when nothing happened. Turns out the elf was slightly more clever than Fish gave him credit for, fair enough. Fish will have to try harder next time. Maybe slipping something into their food....or maybe plant something stolen on them and get them in trouble. That could work. Fish had a good pound or two of stolen jewelry in their bag right now. Of course, they would sneak in and bust Cyran out of jail, but it's about the principle.



"This is not relevant information." Fish responds to Cyran's question before going back to work at the lock of the chest. Fish was making progress, but it would take time.



After a minute more, the chest opens with a soft click. Sitting on a small satin pillow seems to be the gem they were looking for. This was an admittedly simple job, but then again Zarius did say this was a test. Fish will have to directly ask for tougher jobs it seems.