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Post by indeath on Sept 28, 2023 18:16:10 GMT -6
The Barcade was full tonight, bodies packed tight and lines growing around the popular machines. It was full laughter, drinks and sweat.
Grim was in the groove his eyes on the prize. He was determined to topple Julean’s score on the board and fill it with his. At the very least he would enter the tournament and claim the prize. He had a lot of pent up frustration and this seemed like a healthier way of expressing it. Plus the arcade was a surprisingly good hook up place, a lot of nerdy girls and guys looking for connection. Perhaps they would be impressed by his prowess on the machine.
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Post by beastly on Sept 28, 2023 21:22:24 GMT -6
Pete sipped his drink, eyeing up the barcade's patrons lazily. They'd never been to a 'barcade' before, but the concept seemed clever and rather fool proof. Get a bunch of nerds drunk, let them spend their money on what they liked. If Pete hadn't been desperate for cash, they would've been trying their hand at a few. They'd only bought a few tokens for show. Smokey definitely would've been all over it. As it was, the smoke creature was lurking along the floor sneaking peeks at people playing games. It was a shame, but they had to make rent for the room they were getting. Mrs. Demir was kind, but she had been clear that Pete needed to pay rent on time or find another place. Finding no work, Pete was forced to resort to methods that were a little less... Ethical. Still. They needed a roof over their heads, thems the breaks.
"The man. He is distracted. I will see what he has."
Smokey telepathically informed their human friend what they were going to do, then flowed around Grim, curling around the machine he was currently engaged in. The smoke monster sent a tendril to his pocket, checking for a wallet.
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Post by indeath on Oct 20, 2023 15:05:20 GMT -6
Grim felt a slight tickle but ignored it as Vegas kicked Chun-Li in the head then stabbed her with his claw pixelated blood hitting the screen. In his pocket Smokey found a rather thin ratty wallet containing around fifty in cash with several cards, a squished box of cigarettes, a necklace and a couple shiny rings that were definitely not Grim’s size.
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Post by beastly on Oct 21, 2023 5:34:59 GMT -6
"There's a wallet, some rings, a necklace," Smokey informed their partner in crime, " Take it all?"
Pete smiled at pretty girl as she sat down and ignored them, and responded with his mind.
"Take what you think you can get away with. We got bills to pay, Smoke."
Smokey slowly, carefully, took the wallet and necklace, and started to slowly retreat. They may have made a mistake, however, when the necklace's chain clinked against itself. The cloud of smoke flattened against the ground and zipped away back in Pete's direction.
"I made some noise. We should go."
Pete heard his buddy telepathically, and took another sip of his drink.
"Good job. We'll leave really casually, I'm gonna finish this drink."
Smokey slipped the items into Pete's bag and curled around the bottom of their chair.
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Post by indeath on Oct 21, 2023 17:39:06 GMT -6
Grim crowed as his score multiplied, taking a victory sip of his whiskey. He then reached into his pocket for another quarter… then it dawned on him. It was light… there was no wallet. He checked out the other pocket but it wasn’t there either. Shit. He looked around the machine trying to see if he dropped it but it wasn’t there either.
Grim was affronted, he was meant to be the sneaky one not the one sneaked on. He checked his pockets again, the necklace was missing too. Double shit. He subtly glanced around trying to get a pin on his thief, eyes flashing. He moved slowly towards the bar like he was going for another drink, ears pricked and wary.
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Post by beastly on Oct 21, 2023 20:06:09 GMT -6
"He's followed me."
The smoke around Pete's chair bubbled uneasily.
"Keep your cool. Be still."
Pete didn't turn right away as the mark approached, taking another sip of their drink and glancing up at the menu. They resolutely kept calm as the man came over to the bar, scratching their chin. The redhead made as if they were just looking around the room, trying to identify which guy Smokey meant. Their gaze landed on one guy, that one was probably it, and they looked on over Grim's shoulder, like there was something behind him Pete was really interested in.
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Post by indeath on Oct 22, 2023 15:58:34 GMT -6
Grim grunted softly to himself as he failed to spot his thief. There was no obvious thieves as yet. No one looking particularly obvious as his thief. Well, they had to be good to get past him, right? He noticed the redhead looking at something behind him and turned to look, perhaps he’d seen something Grim hadn’t. No, there wasn’t anything of importance unless you counted the nerds arguing over a Rampage machine. Why were they looking so intently in that direction?
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Post by beastly on Nov 5, 2023 18:16:18 GMT -6
Pete let their gaze linger just a moment on the pretend thing, then returned their attention to their drink. They smiled again at the girl that was ignoring them, and swallowed the last of their drink. Keep going. Don't be suspicious...
Playing it cool, they slid off their chair, taking care not to step directly in Smokey where they were settled on the barcade floor, counting on the darkness and shadows.
"Let's go."
Pete casually stuck their hands in their pockets and started walking out, walking not running, trying not to look like they were in a hurry.
Smokey followed along, skulking on the floor as a cloud in the shadows. They were doing well except for the occasional jingling noise, which Pete was praying would be passed off as the clink of quarters.
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Post by indeath on Nov 22, 2023 5:34:35 GMT -6
Grim followed the redhead’s gaze to nothing? Was the guy soft in the head or something… He looked around still searching for his thief. Then, suddenly all the signs in Grim’s paranoid mind began to come together. He had after all played the exact same game with a mark before. The kid was good. Still he didn’t want the kid to scare off, he’d done enough cardio this week. He snagged an unattended drink and drank it, watching the kid leave out the side of his eye. Don’t be suspicious.
He then counted out thirty seconds before casually leaving the barcade himself, eyes peeled for a head of red. Especially those heading towards an alleyway that had always been his go to at least. He’d follow from a safe distance, after all this wasn’t his first rodeo. Though like all rodeos it was entirely unpredictable whether you would get crushed under a cow’s hooves the first or hundredth time . If he messed this up it would be a professional embarrassment. He stuck to the shadows using his new skill to darken them further, the kid didn’t stand a chance.
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Post by beastly on Nov 22, 2023 8:30:03 GMT -6
Pete made his way out of the barcade, and kept a normal walking pace. There was no reason for anyone to suspect him, he told himself, and he started making his way towards where they'd parked the car a little ways away. He'd have to find a pawn shop to sell the necklace. He hadn't gotten a look at it, but they'd done this enough times that Smokey wouldn't have grabbed some cheap ten dollar charm necklace.
Everything was going great, until Smokey, who was also in the shadows, noticed things getting darker.
"Something weird is happening. It's getting darker."
It took a lot of willpower not to turn around and stare, Pete scowled.
"Darker. You think something is happening happening?"
"Kinda."
Pete grumbled under his breath, and walked past where he'd parked the car.
"Fine. We'll meet up in the park. Let's split up."
Smokey drifted off in one direction, and Pete grumpily shifted gears to make his way to the park he'd explored earlier. It wasn't too much of a walk.
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Post by indeath on Nov 27, 2023 17:04:37 GMT -6
It seemed to being going well, his mark hadn’t noticed anything yet. He just hoped his instincts were right and the thief wasn’t laughing his ass off back in The Barcade. Still he had committed to following the kid so here he was. He kept his distance and kept to the darkened shadows as he followed the redhead… towards a park? This wasn’t the alleyway he’d been hoping for. This made everything harder but hopefully not impossible. At least there were more places to hide. Maybe he could spring out of a tree or something? Scare the kid with his coolness. As soon as the kid stopped he’d look for the right tree.
The redhead seemed human so that worked in his favour, though he clearly had supernaturally light fingers to get past Grim. Grim had to flatten himself against a fence as a drunk couple slouched past almost drowning him in their drinks. At least they were making enough noise to hide any he made.
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Post by beastly on Nov 27, 2023 20:06:07 GMT -6
Pete made their way confidently to the park, trying to play it cool and relaxed. They found a nice little bench in the park, sat down, and waited. If something was after them, it'd be easier to confront in the park than somewhere else. They pulled out their phone, but the screen was dark. Waiting. There was the good chance they weren't even being followed, but it was hard to tell in this city. It was great for the reason it was difficult: Lots of supernatural activity.
Smokey was taking the long way through the park. The smoke entity didn't enjoy leaving Pete on their own, but it was a move they'd done plenty of times before. They slunk between bushes and trees, through the grass, staying low.
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Post by indeath on Nov 27, 2023 21:34:59 GMT -6
Grim smiled as the redhead took a seat and began climbing a nearby tree. This was going to be really impressive and imposing. The kid might even wet themselves over this. Grim edged closer on the branch as it moaned slightly under his weight. He jumped, but his foot caught on a lower branch and he landed with a crack in front of Pete like a turtle on its back. Completely exposed, the kid could take even more, he’d already lost his dignity.
Grim groaned piteously reaching towards Pete as pain shot through him. He would pay for this later.
“A… a little help please?”
Grim’s mind was already considering how he could pickpocket the kid as he leaned in to help. It was awful but a guy had to eat.
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Post by beastly on Dec 4, 2023 6:28:30 GMT -6
Pete half jumped, he hadn't been looking up. A rookie mistake, really. They should've anticipated that.
Looking at the man closely, they could see the fuzzy edges of magic. But that wasn't the main thing they picked up, it was the fact this guy was on the ground. And the same guy that'd been tailing them.
"Shit. Does your back feel broken, man? The hell were you doing?"
Pete waited for an answer before helping the guy up. If he had a back injury, something told him, he needed to leave him there. And call an ambulance or something. Mystery medical knowledge seemed legit.
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Post by indeath on Dec 4, 2023 20:34:59 GMT -6
Who did the kid think they were? A paramedic? Grim was pretty sure there was nothing you couldn’t sleep off. Doctors were overrated. His back didn’t feel broken, otherwise he’d be dead or something, right. Grim reached out again, other hand ready to slip in and take his stuff back.
“Nah… Just need a hand up. I think I sprained something. Nothing serious. I was just doing a bit of bird watching, you know? Looking for a rare pair of Tits. “
Grim smirked, it was one of his favorite excuses for obvious reasons.
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