[Maaike]

((Go, Aiden! ))


Maaike was beginning to calm down a little by the time she'd elbowed her way through the gathered crowd, and was mostly just baring her teeth for show now as a means for getting them out of Aiden's way. The least she could do was make his job easier, she supposed, even if it did earn her some dagger-like stares. That was why she kept her professional life separate from her personal, though, and why she didn't want Sammy home with her. Being a bounty hunter wasn't fun and games, and she had a list of enemies the length of her leg - exacerbated by her unfriendliness when it came to dealing with bystanders.

The thing was, Maaike did what she did to protect them. She'd taken her own experiences and used them to turn herself into a crusader, refusing to let the corrupted reign over the innocent. But not all of these people were innocent, and she'd been stabbed in the back one too many times to think they were. That made it hard to trust them, and her stare was filled with as much concentration as it was suspicion. She couldn't afford to let someone distract them again.

“You did well.” It was the only thanks she'd give to the other Therian, and as she said it, she stared at him over a slender shoulder. Thanks made her sound vulnerable, but the half-feral gleam in her eyes should convince him she wasn't.

Then, “It's this way,” and she turned down a small street to find the side entrance of the Guard offices, tucked into the hip of a small two-storey building with only a symbol of a shield over the front door to show its significance. She chose the side entrance because it was quieter and there was less chance of Aiden being jostled while Maaike alerted the Guardsmen inside, but there were a couple of steps he'd need to climb. Well, he looked tough enough to manage that. Good thing he was so tall, though.

“I've got ol' One-Wing for you.” Startled by the sudden bang of the door opening under Maaike's boot, the nearest Junior jumped out of his skin and gulped. More experienced with the rough-and-tumble world Maaike lived in, his partner lifted a hand and waved them in, unperturbed by her aggressive entrance.

“Let's see him, then, lad,” Senior Guardsman Timms said, waving a hand for Aiden to step closer. “It's two hundred, right?” he asked Maaike then, who immediately scowled. Timms chuckled. “All right, all right, just teasing. Five hundred each, then?”

At that, Maaike opened her mouth to say no, but then hesitated and glanced at Baby Face. Really, she deserved most of the bounty because she'd done most of the work in tracking him down and chasing him, but Aiden had done the heavy lifting and she really was a fair person so she offered, “80-20,” completely expecting to have to haggle with him.

[Aiden]

Again, Aiden walked and resolutely ignored the curious stares of passerbys. Instead, he bit the inside of his cheeks and tightened his grip on the sleeping Zanaryan. He was grateful that Maaike was clearing a path for them, since it would have been awful to have to say 'excuse me, coming through' and worry about dropping Ben. The bounty hunter didn't even say as much. She just shouldered her way through.

“You did well.” Surprised, Aiden lifted his gaze from the ground and to the bounty hunter. Though she'd just thanked him, she looked as if it'd hurt her to say it. Seeing that, he smiled to himself and returned his gaze to the ground. “Of course.” He wouldn't have forgiven himself if Ben got away again.

They entered the headquarters of the Espur Guard. As Maike spoke to the senior guard, Aiden stepped closer into the building and scanned the room. A short bench lined a portion of the wall, and he deposited the Zanaryan upon it.

“Five hundred each, then?”

Apprehending criminals was part of his job, and he would have chased after Ben with or without the reward. However, the money would cover a good portion of his year's rent, and he'd be stupid to walk away from that. So when Maaike made her offer, he replied, “Done.”

He knew he was being generous. Most people, even another Guards person, would have insisted upon an even split. But the way he saw it, Maaike had probably spent days to find Ben, and here he'd stumbled upon the both of them during a trip to the theater. He'd only take what he needed.

Piper || kjherstin || dafont

[Maaike]

Maaike's surprise was evident, at least for the moment it took for her to blink it away, and then she peered at Aiden Roy as if she'd been presented with terrified firefox about to erupt.

Timms distracted her, dropping a leather pouch into her hands for her to split with her partner. “Thank you, Maaike.” She might have said something about the old-fashioned method of payment, but she wasn't really one for teasing and she knew better. Most of the time, the payment for these bounties was scraped together out of petty cash and the leftovers of the Guard's budget for uniforms and weapons, so she wasn't going to be picky. Besides, cash in hand was less likely to be traced back to her, and there was a reason she didn't freely gave her surname if she ever had to introduce herself.

Lifting the pouch to tap her temple with it in a brief salute to Timms, she continued to peer at Baby Face on her way out, right up to the point where keeping her eyes on him would have broken her neck. Once outside, she stalked to a spot on the quiet side street where they wouldn't be interrupted, haughtily expecting him to just follow along once more as Magda, with a piercing cry of greeting, noisily flapped in to land on her shoulder. The falcon was careful with her talons just as she'd been taught, but Maaike was still made to wince as she felt new scratches open under the bird of prey's claws.

In the meantime, Maaike argued with herself over how much to pay her unwitting partner.

-- He agreed readily enough, Maaike, just give him the two hundred.

-- No. No, he's up to something. Nobody accepts minimum payment right off the bat like that. Give him half and be rid of him.

Back and forth, and in the end she compromised with herself by dipping her hand in to draw out seven purple fifty-xanthos coins, being ever so careful not to flash them for the wannabe thieves to spot. “You did well,” she repeated then as she held out her hand, fingers curled around the coins and inwardly wincing at her clumsiness but flatly refusing to say the actual words to thank him properly.

[Aiden]

Seeing Maaike's surprise, Aiden merely shrugged and smiled in a friendly manner. As the bounty hunter took the money and left the Guard, Aiden tilted his head toward the senior as well. “Thank you, sir. Do you need help getting him to the cells?” When Timm shook his head, Aiden bid the Guard goodbye and left the office. He didn't bother to introduce himself as part of the New Alexandria guard, as he didn't see any point to it.

Maaike was waiting outside with her falcon. As he approached her, she reached into the leather pouch and counted a handful of coins. “You did well.”

She'd said that just a while ago, so he blinked uncertainly before he realized that it was the closest 'thank you' that he'd get. “Of course. You did well too.” He smirked as if the words were part of some joke, and discreetly held out his hand. The coins tumbled into his palm. It was more than he'd expected, but he hid his surprise and pocketed the money. He knew she could count, so he didn't bother to question her. He appreciated her gesture though. “Thanks. The three of us made a good team, eh?” he bobbed his head toward the mistral.

As he started to walk out of the alley, he turned and smiled genuinely. “Well, take care. If you're ever in New Alexandria, come say hello to the North District's Guard. I'll give you leads on a couple of bounties.” He didn't think that she'd actually visit him, but he felt like saying it anyway. Being a bounty hunter, she could go places where a Guard couldn't, and she worked efficiently.

Piper || kjherstin || dafont

[Maaike]

Clicking her tongue as she checked the coins left in the leather pouch, Maaike pulled the cord tight and fastened it up, then tested the weight of it. It was probably more than Magda could carry, else Maaike would have signalled for the falcon to take it home rather than carry it on her own person. Thieves be damned.

So she tied it to the black knotted belt around her waist, and when that didn't impress her with its security, quickly unfastened it and tied it to her belt loop instead. It still wasn't very secure, but Maaike would hope she'd know if some stickypaw tried to nab it.

Magda had spread her wings when Aiden commented on how well they worked together, as if she understood the Therian. Maaike knew it was only because the bird was reacting to having his attention on her (she didn't like being the focus and took it as a challenge or the mark of a predator stalking prey) but it was still a little uncanny to watch.

Maaike herself had barely responded, really not sure what to do or say. It was only when he invited her up to his jurisdiction for some work that she thought she should say something, and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, considering him carefully. Was it a trap? Did he know who she was, after all, and this whole thing had been an elaborate set-up to get her out of Espur so the locals could get rid of her without it tracing back to them? She didn't think they'd go that far but a healthy dose of paranoia was, well, healthy.

“Maybe,” was all she'd concede, still peering at him as if waiting for him to show his real face. The one she could see now was attractive and the way he handled himself appealing, but him being a uniform was anathema to Maaike, enough that she wouldn't even consider taking him home like she might have otherwise. “See you around.”

Whistling, Maaike sent Magda back into the sky and took off toward the bustle of the main street, using the convenient placement of a barrel, cart full of straw and window ledge to make her way back up onto the roof to head home away from the push and shove.



((Maaike's left the thread. Woohoo, quest over? ))

[Aiden]

Standing at the corner of the guardhouse, Aiden glanced upward as both bounty hunter and falcon moved skyward. The woman leapt to the roofs as easily as if the walls were flat ground, and as her form disappeared behind the rooftops, Aiden turned and let out a small whistle of admiration. “Crazy...” Afterall, no normal person traveled by rooftop instead of the ground. Still, Aiden was glad that he'd met Maaike, despite the woman's haughtiness and cold expression. He took initiative in keeping criminals off the streets, and it was rare to meet other people like that. For her sake though, he hoped she'd stay safe. And if luck allowed it, they might cross paths again.

Casually, as if he hadn't just become z350 richer, Aiden reached into his pocket and pulled out the coins. Close-fisted, he tucked the money into the inner pocket of his jacket and zipped it up. Once done, he walked onto the streets and looked for the signposts. He wasn't too concerned about pick-pockets, as he couldn't imagine anybody with enough guts to reach down his shirt.

Reaching for his COM, he quickly sent a text to his sisters. He still had two hours before the show, and now would be a good time for food...

((Aiden has left the thread. Quest over! ))

Piper || kjherstin || dafont