[Akata - Aathell]

Did he lose all the money he earned in the span of minutes? Yes. Did he do things he wasn't supposed to? Of course. Did he instantly throw himself into work to offset the discontent and force him not to think about his actions for a while? You betcha.

But now that it was getting late... Aathell knew he wanted to find Crowe. Not only to hand over this very expensive gift—in hopes that she won't be as angry with him for... whatever he did—but to ask about her magic. That's what it was; he couldn't fool himself, just as how he couldn't fool himself into believing that this raven stone wasn't magic when he saw it in Caspian's store. Oh how badly he wanted to know more—how were things like this made, how did Caspian get his hands on this, perhaps even if he could make this himself—but as much as Aathell wanted to fiddle with the stone, he left it alone... because it was a gift. A gift to be presented to his boss posthaste...

That is, if he could find her.

Certainly that shadowy magic she used would be great for concealing oneself when they didn't want to be found... and Aathell wasn't certain that she wanted to be found at all right now. He pondered this, sitting on top of a pile of boxes in a secluded alleyway. He could go to The Cantina... but that would mean that Valentine could possibly be around; Aathell didn't want to take chances, and with the way that Valentine had threatened him when it came to Crowe prior... well, that's something he'd like to avoid. He also couldn't go around calling her name... he'd be more than just a fool if he did that. Where else did Crowe hang around? It would be nice to know... just so that he could contact her whenever he needed to... for work. Of course.

Sitting around like this didn't help any point, though; all it would do is make him think about what had happened earlier. Cassian... the white-haired woman... the magic of it all... the things he didn't deserve... Aathell let out a heavy breath. "Mother and Father in a warmer place... if the past several days have been like this, then I don't know if I'll be all in one piece by the next year..." His voice was soft as he gripped his bag; Aathell wore a solemn expression as he dismounted the boxes. He didn't much feel like going to The Cantina, or Cordelia's... if only there was another tree somewhere around here that he could climb, things would be so much easier. Quietly, he paced; he didn't want to think about what happened, but given the circumstances... it was pretty much all he could think about, besides the whole gift thing.

Where did it all go wrong? Scratch that, that's an easy question; where'd HE go wrong? That was a separate answer from the prior question certainly... but it wasn't like Aathell knew the proper answer. Foggy, fleeting... these things never came easy, as if whatever was inside of him liked gnawing away the words.

[Kim - Crowe (NPC)]

As Aathell was wandering the streets, wondering where that silly little Crowe could have gone to- He heard a small tempered scream from a nearby alley. There seemed to be no other sounds, no other footsteps. Just shuffling and then a man hitting against the side of the wall.

"P-Please I don't have it. I d-don't-" Then a crumpling noise of pain escaped him and Crowe's husky, deadpan voice sounded. It was low and quiet, barely audible... But it was a toe Aathy was used to and recognized now.

"I wasn't asking you if you had it. I know you don't." Crowe's voice was venomous now, dripping into dangerous malice. "I'm asking- WHY." And when she said why, the man wailed again. Evidently in great pain. The coppery tang of blood filled the air and the sound of metal tinking against a brick wall.

"I-I don't I don't know what your-" Crowe was staring down this man, knife in his thigh as she stared down at him with an intense eye. "I DON'T HAVE IT."

"Because you went to the Satin pearl, remember?" Crowe said slowly, "Shouldn't gamble money that isn't yours."

"I DIDN'T GAMBLE- I OWED-" She twisted the knife, unhappy with his response and before he could even finish.

"Taking from Valentine is one risky move, but from the Lecresse family too...?" Her family was a slow rumbling growl as she watched him, rough as sandpaper. She tutted her tongue, clearly unimpressed.

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