Masquerade

"If he finds out we followed him, he'd use magic on us for sure," Lily said, shaking her head. "So, what do we do?"

Trixie shrugged. "I still say we jump him. He'll never know what hit him! We can knock him out with something." She laughed.

Lily slowly smiled, and then squeled. "You are brilliant!"

"I am?"

Trixie gave her a confused look.

"Yes, you are. We'll still use this as a diversion like I said." Lily pointed to the gold chain. "And when he goes to grab it, you knock him out! It's perfect."

Can I still join?

Name: Cassandra (Cass for short)
Age: 16
Appearance: blonde hair that falls halfway down her back, blue eyes that look green or gray at times, moderately pale complected
Behavior: is very quiet and secretive, likes to travel alone most of the time, has an affinity for old, ancient objects and books, and desires something magical
Background: She grew up in poverty to discover that she was the last descendant of a royal from long ago. Thirsty for more knowledge on her family, she steals old records and ancient objects said to have belonged to her ancestor.

Hunter ran as fast as he could, not even seeing the alleys and canals around him. He knew the way back better than anything. He was at home at these unkown alleys and forgotten canals. His few hours was his freedom. He had no idea that it was night. You can't if you don't know about day and the sun.

He tripped on the last cabblestone, sprawling onto the front yard of his uncle's home. The man was on his porch, where he had been since he had chased Hunter off.

"You're a little early," he commented, steel-blue eyes glaring down at him.

The boy winced slightly, but he looked behind him, as if he expected to be followed.

His uncle noticed. "What were you running from?" he asked curtly.

Hunter wet his lips. He hated having to speak to his uncle. He was locked away, sometimes beaten, if he talked too much.

"Two s-strangers," he answered, hoping his voice couldn't be heard.

His uncle was suddenly very attentive. "Did you find hte man with the black mask?" he demanded.

Hunter shook his head, not wanting to say anything.

His uncle sighed and rubbed his face. "Maybe tomarrow," he said, but he didn't sound very hopeful. He said that every night.

There was a siren, and his uncle's gaze snapped to the canal next to them. "Get inside," He hissed, taking a step towards Hunter.

Immediatly the boy was on his feet, trying to get into the house before the boat came close. He had been taught to fear cops. He didn't know why, but his uncle had made sure he was deathly afraid of them.

*Okay, Emi, where am I supposed to meet you? You told me to start off by meeting you somewhere...*

((The baron's house?))

Lyaro left the boy under the watchful eye of Slade. She still wanted to know how he had followed her up to the room but this was not the time to find out. They had been in the cave for a long time, and it was dark again, so she donned her black mask and cape.

She headed out towards the small boat tied up about half a mile away. She ran along the Grand Canal keeping her eyes and her ears open. She reached the boat quite quickly. She had been running so much all her life, she was quite fast now.

Having got into the boat, she untied it and pushed it out onto the water. She turned down a small canal which was barely big enough to fit the boat down.

She turned left and then right before landing on a small jetty. The jetty led to an alleyway in which she knew someone would be. She had been shadowing the boy for a few months now and sure enough, he was there.

Her footsteps made no sound as she slipped down the alley like a shadow. She came up behind the boy and clamped a hand over his mouth, drawing him towards her and she slipped back into the shadows. The boy did not struggle very much. She backed up against a wooden slatted fence and pushed. Two of the boards swung lose and she threw the boy down into the hole behind them. Then she jumped in after him.

The hole was an entrance to another underground cavern. The boy was sprawled about the floor. She twitched her staff and her voice became slightly crackly and deep.

"You are Hunter?"

"Yes." The boy seemed a little disoriantated but that was to be expected.

"Why are you looking for me?"

"My, my Uncle told me too."

"Oh really? And just who is your Uncle?"

*You can continue that story E-M*

~SishBee~
x

Hunter didn't know how to answer that. He only knew him as his uncle. It hadn't occured to him that he would have a name like any other person. He looked away from the man in the black mask.

"Who is your uncle?"The man repeated

Hunter flinched inswardly. He had learned not to ignore a question that had been asked twice. "Black hair," he said as quietly as he could. "B-blue eyes." His uncle would kill him for this, but he had no idea what this man would do if he didn't asnwer or, worse, lied. He wasn't going to take chances.

"There's a number of men who fit that despcription," the man said.

Hunter cast him a frightened glance and shrugged. "I d-don't know his n-name."

"Where does he live?"

Hunter shrugged again, becoming more and more frightened. He was answering the best he could, but if the man wasn't satisfied with his answers...he wondered if he would get away with lying, though he had never dared to before.

Sharra

I came to the big, rough, stone wall that surrounded the baron's house. This would be an interesting feat. I could hear a faint clinking as dogs on the other side of the wall shuffled in their sleep.

Slowly and silently, I grabbed one of the protruding stones and got ready to climb when a figure leapt off the wall and landed, rather clumsily, behind me. They were silent and didn't notice me until I moved.

"Holy-" The girl, as I could tell from her voice, gasped. She was wearing an outfit similar to mine. The breeches, shirt, vest, and hair pulled up into a hat. The only difference was the colors. She worre black breeches, a cream shirt, and a brown vest. Her hat was also black.

I noticed she dropped an old book in her astonishment. She looked me over quickly and, seeing me as non-threatening, quickly scooped up the tome. "Who are you?" She whispered.

"I was about to ask that exact thing!" I said in a hoarse whisper. "Why were you in Baron Druheim's mansion?"

"That is none of your business! Why are you here?"

"To sneak into the baron's mansion!" I said with humor. The other girl giggled, trying to stay quiet. One of the dogs on the other side of the wall grunted.

"I'm Cassy, by the way." The girl said, extending her hand.

I took it. "I'm Sharra. What did you take from Old Man Druheim?"

The girl showed me the enormous and ancient book. "I think it once belonged to my family."

"A book?" I asked. "I'll admit I love to read, but why would you steal a book?"

"I told you, I think it belonged to my family!" We had amazingly kept to whispering.

"Okay, okay." I said.

"What are you here for?"

"The Amulet."

"The Amulet?!" Cassy stared at me. "That thing is under high security! You'll never be able to get to it alone!"

"I can try." I said calmly. I noticed a small gleam show in Cassy's eyes. A kind of excitement.

"I haven't tried something that risky in a while. Care if I join you?"

I raised an eyebrow and smirked at her. "I guess. I wouldn't mind having a little extra help." But I was going to watch her, just in case. She didn't seem the backstabbing type, but in the world of thieves, you never knew...

Cassy

This Sharra was interesting. And this new mission we set out to complete...it would be fun.

"I have an idea how to get to it," I offered, seeing as I had just left the place. "It's the security that'll give us problems..."

*Sorry, that's all I've got.*

"Let's go then!" I made sure to keep my voice down. Cassy started climbing the wall and I followed close behind.

Just over the wall a small ledge led around the perimeter of the front courtyard. The guard dogs were sleeping closer to the mansion. Cassy sidled along the ledge, her feet moving silently. We were stealthy and made no noise even as we landed on the smooth flagstones of the courtyard.

Inside, lavish furniture and ornate chandeliers gave the house a creepy feel in the nighttime stillness.

"Where is th Amulet supposed to be kept?" Cassy asked, looking around.

"In the Baron's vault. In his room, I think."

"His room?" Cassy hissed.

"It's no problem." I said casually. "The only thing we need to worry about is bumping into the Midnight Man."

Cassy smiled and I headed for the stairs. I figured that was where the Baron's room was.

I was right.

The baron's room was the only room up there. A pair of large mahogany double-doors stood at the top of the stairs.

I grasped the handle and began to turn it when a light came from the first floor.

Me and Cassy both knew what it was. A guard. I hurried and swung the doors open. Thankfully they didn't swing, and opened silently. I hurried and closed the door with a tiny click.

We were in.

The baron lay in his bed, snoring loudly. The Amulet should be in a vault somewhere. All I could see were paintings, but every good thief knows of this classic hiding technique.

Cassy seemed to be a good thief. She put a pair of black gloves on and walked over to a painting and pulled it up slightly before peeking behind it. I pulled out my own gloves and went to another painting, across the room from Cassy. We slowly worked our way around the room before we came to a picture of a woman who was naked except for a small sliver of garnet silk covering her lower "area."

Interesting choice for hiding jewelry. I thought. Cassy helped me remove the painting to reveal a small, black, metal door with a combination lock. Cassy glared at it.

She nudged me and mouthed, "Can you open this?" I nodded and pulled a small silver funnel from the satchel bag I had hanging at my hip. Carefully, I placed the funnel to the lock and turned slowly. I turned until I heard a faint tink. I began turning the other way until I heard another tink. I turned back and the lock clicked. The code was 41-02-19. I would have to remeber it for when i returned the Amulet. Cassy grabbed the handle and turned at a painstakingly slow rate, freezing everytime the metal creaked.

Finally, the door was able to be opened. It swung open on well-oiled hinges and inside was gold, paper money, pearls, jewels, and, wrapped in a balck piece of silk, the Amulet. I reached in and took the Amulet and closed the vault. I could feel Cassy watching me as I turned the handle back, slowly, and reset the lock.

((Where'd everyone go?))

*I dunno....*

*no! THIS MUST NOT DIE!!! *

Hunter glanced around wildly, looking for some way of escape. He didn't want to be late returning to his uncle...

*But, alas, I have nothing....

Hopefully there are people around... *

((cries, i don't know waht to put))

((I think Ayumi quit, so I'll have to get rid of her character for her. I'll post later, I don't have enough time right now...))