Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
1
Renown
Moonglade
has a bad case of sticky finger
77 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Dante (Mephis Ferideh) on Sept 27, 2023 15:17:24 GMT -5
Mephis had observed Dante's every move with a mixture of vigilance and wariness. He knew Dante was calculating, always considering the possibilities, and Mephis couldn't afford to be caught off guard. The bounty hunting business was ruthless, and trust was a rare commodity. As they made their way to the guard station, Mephis couldn't help but feel a growing unease. Dante's friendly demeanor and cooperative attitude were a façade, Mephis was sure of it. He had to play along, though, for now.
He managed a polite smile at Dante's comment about the potential risk of ending up behind bars. "Indeed, it's always a delicate dance," Mephis replied cautiously, choosing his words carefully. "But sticking together does have its merits. Watch your step, and you're less likely to stumble." He knew Dante was trying to subtly disarm him, but Mephis was not one to underestimate his opponents. He kept a firm grip on Alben, ready for any sudden movements. As they approached the guard station, he braced himself for whatever might come next, prepared to handle it with the same vigilance he had shown throughout their encounter.
When they finally arrived at the guard station, Mephis couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He had successfully delivered Alben, and the riskiest part of this endeavor was almost behind him. Or so he thought. As the guard in charge inspected Alben's restraints and began the necessary paperwork, Mephis couldn't help but glance over at Dante. It was time to collect the bounty they had worked so hard for. The guard handed him a small pouch filled with Solars, the reward for their efforts. Mephis counted the coins discreetly, ensuring they were all there, and then glanced at Dante with a nod of approval "well it appears to be all there". However, as he turned to walk away from the guard station, an unsettling feeling washed over him. He couldn't shake the suspicion that Dante might try something at the last moment.
Without warning, Mephis made a swift move, attempting to break into a sprint and put distance between himself and Dante. His fingers tightly clutched the pouch of Solars as he bolted for the exit, Alben momentarily forgotten in the chaos. Dante's earlier caution had not been unwarranted, and he had been right not to trust Mephis entirely. Now, it was a race against time to see whether Dante could react fast enough to stop Mephis from making off with their hard-earned bounty.
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
20s
Renown
Male
Fellblood
I think life is really "pan"ning out for me
199 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Delta on Sept 27, 2023 17:32:21 GMT -5
Well this was certainly a strange time for betrayal.
He didn’t react with outrage. Ash Landers were no strangers to theft, and he’d been pickpocketed so much that it was more the victim’s fault they lost their purse than the perpetrator. Dante was mostly disappointed: of all the ways to steal this was just so cumbersome and boorishly brazen that it almost made him laugh. Still he just… stood there. He wanted to see if he’d look back at him, wanted to see that brief moment of doubt of just how easy it was to get away. Once he was a few paces away, he feigned going into the guard station. Was he going to tell on his companion? Was he going to cry about how he had been cheated? A moment of doubt was all he needed for the effect he wished to enact to happen.
As he opened the door, a portal opened in a puff of smoke in front of Mephis. Dante suddenly appeared in the Blink of an eye before him. He stood like a brick wall between Mephis and freedom with the sole intent of letting him run right into him. He fell down with Mephis and said, “My we really need to not keep running into each other like this. And it seems in your excitement you forgot to split the bill. It’s not a very good first date impression.” He wasn’t much of a brawler, but he was good at talking. With physical contact establish, he could attempt to instill Calm Emotions into Mephis. It wasn’t mind control, but perhaps his better judgment would eclipse his paranoia. Hopefully anyway.
“You’re quite a jumpy fellow. It makes the cut and run method a little on the nose though. Want to try this again? Or are you going to give chase?” He grinned widely at the last part, the sensation of a cat looking at a mouse. The money paled in comparison to the chase.
“If you’re a good boy I might just not bite.”
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
1
Renown
Moonglade
has a bad case of sticky finger
77 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Dante (Mephis Ferideh) on Oct 1, 2023 18:19:22 GMT -5
Even feeling the calming effects of Dante's spell wash over him, Mephis knew it was the opportune moment to employ his escape technique, ensuring he kept the precious coin pouch containing the hard-earned bounty. "Astounding performance, Dante," Mephis exclaimed, still lying on the ground, acknowledging the clever twist. "A bit dramatic for my taste, but I'll give you points for flair."
Mephis's eyes narrowed, analyzing the situation in an instant. With a subtle twist of his wrist, he activated his 1escape technique – a move ingrained through years of practice and honing. It involved a swift, precise release of a hidden catch in his clothing, causing the seams of his coat to give way, a split-second transformation that turned his coat into a fluttering distraction.
As Dante's grip on him momentarily loosened, Mephis made use of the diversion. He moved like a wisp of smoke, slipping out of the loosened coat with practiced grace. His form became a blur, exploiting the split-second confusion. In the blink of an eye, he was beside Dante, but not in way most bounty hunter would expect. "Oh, Dante," he purred, his voice dripping with theatrical disappointment. "The chase just doesn't suit us this evening, does it? Perhaps another day, when the stars align in our favor."
Mephis then summoned an 2illusionary clone of himself, whispering a command to it to play its part to perfection. The illusion mirrored his actions precisely, allowing Mephis to discreetly pass the an illusionary coin pouch to the clone, ensuring it held the fake bounty close. While Dante's attention was hopefully momentarily focused on the illusionary clone, Mephis gracefully and subtly slipped away, using his nimble agility to melt into the crowd. He chuckled softly gripping the coin pouch once again. knowing that the chase had only just begun, and this little escapade was just the beginning of their dance.
1.) Escape Technique 2.) Clone Self
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
20s
Renown
Male
Fellblood
I think life is really "pan"ning out for me
199 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Delta on Oct 2, 2023 7:41:00 GMT -5
The sleight of hand might have fooled Dante if he himself didn’t possess the same technique. Sensing magic collecting in the air, he lofted a brow. With a flick of his wrist, he had cast Counter Spell to stop the clone from even being created. Without the distraction, he decided to let the fellblood believe he had gotten away. Calm and collected was the key, and searching through a crowd that had just witnessed their scrap meant the trail hadn’t gone cold. He was able to follow the general direction Mephis was going, looking for the one thing that would make him stand out: the giant bag of gold he was carrying. Even if he had a hood on, if he set his mind to looking for a gremlin with a sack over their shoulder he’d narrow down the crowd.
“And for my next trick…”
He turned a corner and towards a straightaway. There were some folks in the way of a clear shot when he took a knee and narrowed his eyes. He had one shot at this, and he needed to make it perfect. He began the incantation and waited for the right opening. When it came, he fired off a Chromatic Blast. But it wasn’t Mephis who was his target. It was the bag. The blast of fire would hopefully damage it enough to rip open and spill the coins all over the ground.
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
1
Renown
Moonglade
has a bad case of sticky finger
77 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Dante (Mephis Ferideh) on Oct 3, 2023 20:11:46 GMT -5
Mephis felt the surge of energy building up in the air, the telltale sign of Dante's spell in the making. He had to think fast; this situation was turning volatile, and the bag of coins over his shoulder was at risk. "A bag of solar is a terrible thing to waste," Mephis muttered to himself, eyes darting around as he calculated his next move. He couldn't just abandon his hard-earned spoils.
As the Chromatic Blast tore through the air, aimed at the bag, Mephis took quick action. He angled the bag away from the blast, hoping to minimize the damage. The fiery explosion still managed to singe the bag, causing it to smolder and tear, but he couldn't afford to lose the coins. "Too close for comfort," Mephis grimaced, feeling the heat from the flames licking at the bag.
Coins spilled from the ruptured bag, clattering against the ground, drawing the attention of the startled crowd. The chaotic scene provided Mephis with an opportunity. He swiftly dropped to his knees, scooping up handfuls of the scattered coins, refusing to let them go to waste. "Every coin is a step further away from them," he mused, stuffing the coins into his pockets as fast as he could. The chaos was his cover, and he made the most of it.
Hoping Dante was occupied with the scattering coins and the mesmerized onlookers. Taking a deep breath, he darted away, blending into the crowd, his pockets now heavy with the stolen solars, ending up in a nearby alley to observe the situation. Before fully darting away, an illusionary clone was summoned as another Mephis stood up from where the original Mephis was bent down previously. The clone walked towards Dante with their hands up in a defeated gesture. “Fine, you got me; I won’t come up with any excuses for my behavior.” As the clone stepped closer, Mephis scaled the alley walls, ending up on a roof overlooking the street.
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
20s
Renown
Male
Fellblood
I think life is really "pan"ning out for me
199 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Delta on Oct 4, 2023 9:14:45 GMT -5
Dante's combined experience as a street urchin mixed with his spacial magic training with Kamille had prepared him. The situation fit him like a glove, and he knew where to look when he was getting hoodwinked. Still, a chaotic crowd was still hard to search through, and the obvious Mephis that approached him was clearly a sleight. He grinned as it was approaching, sticking to the side of the street. He created a Replicant just as he turned so it looked like he was walking towards the clone.
"Why thank you, and good show."
It was humorous having these two suddenly kiss and make up after having a chase. The crowd looked on with some confusion and quickly dismissed it as two rascals causing trouble. Meanwhile, Dante had taken a fire escape up to the rooftops in a hope that he'd see the real one. Mephis could have gone down an alley and just as well give him the slip. Luckily his instincts were correct this time around, and it was a bit awkward seeing the other 'Dante' look right back at him.
"I told you, I'm an Ash Lander friend. I applaud your skill, it's rather remarkable."
He folded his arms and said, "I imagine given this exchange you might have even considered using me as a fall guy for your own wanted poster. Again, I applaud you." He reached into his shirt pocket and produced an envelope.
"I imagine being on the run can be stressful, so I'll make you a deal. Forfeit your earnings, and I'll see to it the funds and the right people give you a clean slate. It serves my interests too not to have handsome fellbloods with similar features on a wanted poster. His words were thick with honey: he used the power of his Charming Grace as a Bardic Virtuoso to seem like a super great guy and make his mark more willing to carry out said favor. It wasn't mind control, but subtle nudges had a way of leaving an impression
He extended the sealed party invitation to Mephis and said, "Besides, I could use interesting party guests in the future. It'll be a grand time."
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
1
Renown
Moonglade
has a bad case of sticky finger
77 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Dante (Mephis Ferideh) on Oct 10, 2023 15:39:25 GMT -5
Mephis nonchalantly dismissed his clone with a flick of his wrist, confidently strolling further onto the rooftop, certain that he had successfully evaded pursuit this time. However, the distinctive sound of footsteps on a nearby fire escape made his head whip in that direction, revealing a pair of horns followed by the familiar blue hue of a fellow fellblood, Dante. He pushed his glasses up, releasing an annoyed sigh. "You truly are persistent; I would expect nothing less from an Ash Lander."
Sauntering closer to Dante, he leaned his shoulder against a metal support beam. "And I'll extend the compliment to you as well. Most give up after the little coat trick," he remarked, letting out an exaggerated laugh at the idea of using Dante as the fall guy. "I know this may sound far-fetched after my little outburst, but that wasn't my intention. I thought I could just escape with the money, and we'd go our separate ways. Given your role as the head of ceremonies, I assumed you weren't entirely strapped for funds."
Mephis' lighthearted demeanor quickly shifted as his eyes snapped to Dante reaching for his pocket, instinctively spinning his ornate dagger out of his belt, ready to defend himself. He visibly relaxed as Dante produced an envelope rather than a weapon or spell. He eyed the paper in Dante's hand with slight confusion until Dante began to speak.
Mephis hadn't noticed before, but Dante had a remarkable way with words. The tension seemed to ease as he spun his dagger back into his belt. However, even with the tension lifted, Mephis' paranoia remained steadfast. "Yes, you'd be right in your assumption. I could empty my pockets for you, but I'm not sure you have the right connections or the right amount of money to keep these dangerous people off my back. Notice how my poster only says 'alive' instead of 'dead or alive'..." He unfurled the poster he had stashed earlier and pointed to the words on it. "I am a criminal; I won't deny it. But the ones who put the bounty on my head want to kill me themselves, and they're a ruthless group of people." He struggled to stifle a shudder when mentioning his ruthless family but composed himself with a sigh. "I believe you could provide me with a clean slate here, but anywhere else in Charon, it's back to constantly looking over my shoulder." Mephis wasn't entirely sure why he was revealing so much truth to someone he had met less than an hour ago, but something about Dante's words and body language made him feel at ease.
Mephis chuckled at Dante's invitation. "Are you sure? I do have a bad case of sticky fingers. I wouldn't want your other guests to be upset when their belongings end up 'going missing'," he teased, swiping the envelope from Dante's hands. He then reluctantly scooped a significant portion of the solars into his pockets and placed them into Dante's extended hand. However, a couple of them remained hidden in his pocket, ensuring he kept something from this transaction. 1"There, it should all be there."
1.) Smooth Talking
|
|
Adventurer
IS OFFLINE
20s
Renown
Male
Fellblood
I think life is really "pan"ning out for me
199 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Delta on Oct 10, 2023 17:42:33 GMT -5
Dante was all too familiar with criminals, crime families, and the sordid business of navigating the two. He listened without interruption and felt the pulse of a very familiar spell hit him as he made contact for the money. He made no comment to it: he had already caught up to him here, there was no point in staining his pride further than he already had. Dante gave him a toothy grin and said, "Come now other Dante... gods above, please tell me that's a fake name. Or at least a middle one. Anyways, where was I? Oh right."
He looked out to the city and said, "No rest for the wicked and all that fatalistic crap is just that. I think you've failed to see the opportunity that lies in constantly looking over your shoulder. I won't pretend it's a weekend at the king's palace, but it comes with its rewards. Cunning, self-discipline, a keen eye for detail; these things you would most likely never develop to the degree which you did. Truly a lesser being is the one that is never challenged. Life and its pleasure lose their succor when there are no stakes, no risk, no losers."
He turned back to Mephis and added, "That and if I'm able to overcome your deceptions in the short time we've been together then it's very likely that your assailants will in time also surpass your talents and kill you. In which case, far better to live large than hide like a mouse all the time. Think about it. You have the confidence to not only go out in public in fashionable yet distinct attire but also attempt to hoodwink a stranger who could for all you know be working for the very people who wish to claim your life then that's all the evidence I need to prove that you understand what I'm talking about. And you certainly have the boldness to come to one of my soirees. As for sticky fingers? Well..."
His grin widened and said, "Don't get caught."
Dante clapped his hands together and said, "I will say it was a fun dinner and show we had wasn't it? I'm sorry if I can't promise more chases through the streets unfortunately. Perhaps when we meet again, it will be under the better circumstances of a lovely time at one of my social gatherings. I do hope you have a lovely day, and I look forward to your attendance."
With that, he gave a bow... and suddenly fell through the rooftop using Phase Walk.
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
1
Renown
Moonglade
has a bad case of sticky finger
77 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Dante (Mephis Ferideh) on Oct 16, 2023 20:52:43 GMT -5
Mephis responded with a toothy grin, "Well, my name at the moment is Dante. But if it is my real one... well, that's for me to know and for you to figure out, eventually." Despite Dante's calming demeanor, he wasn't about to reveal the crucial connection to his family. He needed to keep that card close to his chest.
As Dante gazed over the city and spoke, Mephis situated himself on the edge, legs dangling over it, listening intently to Dante's words. In a brief pause, he let out a small chuckle, keeping his gaze fixed on the crowd of people below. "Well, does that make me one of the greatest beings then? Life has decided to challenge me at every opportunity it can. Though you do make a good point. This life has allowed me to learn a multitude of different abilities... Some of them I wish weren't part of my arsenal," he added, his thumb tracing the leather on his dagger's hilt as he reflected on his past actions.
His focus was drawn back when Dante looked at him, and Mephis' grin widened in response to Dante's. "Well, not getting caught is one of the things I'm good at. Though a party does sound quite nice, all things considered. If not to mingle with guests, then to see what their pockets hold and see if I can make their belongings 'go missing,'" he mused. Leaning his head against his hand, he looked up at Dante and let out a joking sigh of disappointment, "Awwww, but darling, our little chase was so fun. I hope that there are more in the future," he said with a smug grin.
Confusion spread across his face as Dante fell through the floor, but his attention soon returned to the envelope in his hand. He debated whether he should go, eventually letting out a small laugh and shrugging, "Ah, hells, why not." He stuffed the paper back into his pocket and hopped off the side of the building, landing in a roll to break his fall. Making his way to where his jacket lay on the street, he slipped back into the crowd, once again hiding himself.
1.) Cat's Grace
|
|