streetwalkers | Prince Mikado and Masaomi's Band of Awful Thieves

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ryuugamine mikado

Prince Mikado and Masaomi's Band of Awful Thieves

[ Their kingdom had way too many festivals. Festivals were supposed to be something exciting, something amazing and colourful and not boring, but when they happen every few weeks, it's less of a kingdom-wide festival and more of a group of boring people singing and dancing and eating and being loud until the early hours in the morning and forgetting to feed their livestock the next day.

So, as soon as eyes are off of the Royal Family and the festivities had begun (which, most people have forgotten what the "festivities" of this festival were, at this point), the little prince slips back to the castle. He takes a detour at their library, picking up as many books as his weak, never-worked-a-day-in-his-life arms can carry, and shuffling up the spiral staircase into the high tower of his bedroom.

Through his window seat he can see clearly it's almost dusk, the sky is streaked with pink and orange and yellow, and at the darkest parts off at the top a few stars have begun to peak out. Mikado can see people down below and they're boring, this entire kingdom that's supposed to be one of the strongest in the land, this kingdom that he's supposed to rule one day is too boring. To anyone else it would be exciting, that there are things to do and learn and it's easy to be safe. But, when you're too sheltered, when you're too safe and kept in the castle all day only to be presented at festivals you haven't been told the story of because it's not time, life is boring.

So with a small sigh and his head leaned against the intricate bars of his window, he immerses himself in a cliche story that he's already read a few times before. ]

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[Festivals are a good thing when you're the leader of a self-proclaimed noble band of thieves. It's a lot of people gathered in one place to drink a lot of ale, and that means easy pockets to pick. The problem is that Kida labels himself as the kind of guy who "redistributes dishonestly gained riches". This means he can't go around cutting the purses of your average working class fellow. He's got to go to the gold.

They've been doing well lately. His band's got a name for itself, and perhaps they're a little bit cocky. Cocky enough to dare him to steal from the palace itself, in fact. So here he is, scaling the stone wall in the dark until his fingers find a window ledge. He pulls himself up -- and there's someone there.]

Oh.

[ When a face pops up beside him, Mikado yelps and topples backwards. He wasn't expecting this at all-- The castle is usually extremely well guarded, but the guards are sometimes known for wandering from their posts and drinking themselves stupid during festivals like this.

He doesn't know if this intruder is after his life, but he tries to defend himself regardless... But, with a blunt knife that he'd felt around for and luckily discovered under a table. ]

S-- Stay back...!

[Maybe he should let go and try this another night. Once he's been spotted it'll be hard to get anything done, right? He looks down for a moment -- and suddenly the drop looks huge. It was fine coming up, but now that he's seen the distance between himself and the ground he's suddenly aware that he's attached to a stone wall above a stone plaza three floors below below him, with the breeze stirring his hair and certain death awaiting the moment he loses his grip.

He grabs the bars of the window with one hand, groping for his crowbar with the other.]

Hey, calm down would you? I'm not going to hurt you, but if you get loud I might be tempted.

...You're trying to break in. I think I have a reason not to be calm.

[ slowly, he gets to his feet, still holding the knife defensively out in front of him. he knows that he'd never be able to take someone on in a fight, he's skinny and weak and was never taught how to fight because a king doesn't need to fight, he has people to do it for him.

still, he's hoping that it intimidates this intruder enough that they'll go away, and he doesn't break eye contact. ]

Oh come on! What are you gonna do, push me off?

[He grumbles as he gets ahold of his crowbar and starts at the window. This guy could push him. He could call guards who'd push him at best. But Kida has a feeling that anyone who's being this brave and quiet already is someone he might be able to bargain with.]

Hey, I'm three stories up with nowhere to go, right? So how about you just let me in and I'll go away once I'm not about to fall to my death. I'll even owe you a favor.

[ No, he's not about to push someone off of a building and kill them. He lowers the hand that's holding the knife, and slowly walks back to the window and undoes the latch to the bars. ]

[Well that certainly helps. He climbs in through the window as soon as he's allowed, wobbling unsteadily as the fear of falling leaves him.

But now he's not sure what to do. He's been seen by someone who lives in this kind of room, and that's a risk. Even if he leaves now, he'll owe this kid a lot and he could be turned in at any time... The wheels in Kida's head start to turn, but outwardly he just smiles and holds out his hand.]

Thanks! And nice to meet you.

[ he's a little worried about shaking hands with someone who just broke in through his window, but he's been taught dignity and grace all his life, so it feels wrong not to take the held-out hand to shake it. ]

It's nice to meet you...

[As they shake hands, it suddenly occurs to him. What's a good way to make sure he isn't ratted out, and a way to make a theft not even his followers would believe?

He grin takes a mischievous tone, and rather than let go of Mikado's hand he leans in close.]

Hey, you have to show me the way out without anyone seeing me, okay? I'll give you something even more valuable than the whole kingdom if you do that.

I don't need any valubles, but someone finding you would be unneeded trouble...

[ he's too sheltered not to be completely mortified about this, and helping someone in need would be the kingly thing to do... so, he pushes aside a painting of some rolling hills to reveal a passage way. ]

Um... This is the servants passage, but they're all at the festival.

I guess that's our route then!

[He laughs, impish and a little excited as he pulls Mikado along after him. He doesn't run, but he does pick up to a brisk pace, exuding energy of the sort that doesn't at all befit someone noble and refined like a prince (or even like palace staff in front of a prince). Kida has a wild freedom in the way he carries himself that's nothing like the stuffiness Mikado probably sees every day. He doesn't worry about keeping up appearances in that regard. He likes to be handsome, but he also likes to do whatever he wants.

For example, stealing a noble. He keeps ahold of Mikado's hand as they go, and there's a bounce in his step at the thought of pulling off the greatest heist ever.]

So who are you anyway? You're important, huh?

[ he's never had to explain who he was before. especially, not to someone who's as loose as this when it comes to moving and speaking and everything in between. mikado hasn't had much contact with a lot of rowdy people from the outside, so he's not sure if this is normal or not. ]

I'm Mikado. ...Um, the prince.

Whoah, really?

[He barely manages to keep from freezing when he hears that. Maybe he shouldn't go through with it. Kidnapping some dignitary's son or a bit of minor nobility is a big deal, but it's not quite that big a deal.

But then again, how much bigger a theft can he pull off? He'll be reaching the ultimate level of "stealing from the rich" if he does this.

So instead of letting go when they reach the door he pushes it open with just his free hand. A quick look around spots no one, and the distance from here to the tree line where his men wait is only a hundred feet or so. With an even wider grin he turns to Mikado.]

So, have you ever really broken the rules?

N-- No...

[ Helping someone who just broke into your window escape out the back before any trouble comes up is likely "breaking the rules", but he can't think of any times where he's blatantly gone against what he's been expected to do. Of course, as the next in line to the throne, there's not much that's expected of him that he couldn't get out of, but lessons were important, after all. ]

Well you're about to. Hope you can run fast!

[That's all the warning he gives before he takes off, tugging Mikado behind him. He's counting on surprise to make the prince follow him -- it could be a problem if he resists too much. If he can just get him to the trees, they'll have him!]

[ he has no strength, being taught reading and writing and the names of countries and previous people in his bloodline instead of having anything like "muscles" trained up, so when he's pulled again he stumbles forward and yelps and has to run to catch his balance ]

W-- Wait--!

No way! Consider this a gift of freedom!

[He laughs as they run, more than pleased with himself. By the time they reach the trees his men are waiting, and Mikado quickly has a hand on his arm, drawing him into the woods as questions and congratulations come up on all sides.]

I told you guys I'd make it. There's no bigger treasure in the castle than this pasty kid!

[ when he's surrounded by more people, creepy people, that false sense of security, that easy trusting is gone immediately. he tries to step back, but bumps into the chest of someone ten times bigger than him and... suddenly, he's way too scared to even speak. ]

Hey, hey, don't look so scared.

[His hand gestures are light, his smile friendly. Taken out of context, he moves like a charming, innocent sort of mischief-maker. Surrounded by all these men that look like they could break either of them over their knees, however, it's scary. When those men defer to him -- when he's clearly in charge -- it's even worse. But he's sill laughing, and it's a sharp contrast.]

It's not like we're going to do anything horrible.

[ He can't see this guy as friendly. Not anymore. Not with the people around him looking down at him like a new toy or a warm meal, not when "we're not going to do anything horrible" is the reassurance he's gotten. His throat is tight, his fingers are trembling, and he tries to find any way out of this. ]

S- Stop...

But we haven't even gotten you off the castle grounds!

[Another laugh, and he turns and heads off further into the woods. His men will pull Mikado along with them, deep into the leafy darkness. It's a half an hour's walk to where they left their mounts and the rest of the gang, and Kida talks animatedly as they go.]

So! Do you want to ride a mule or should someone tie you up behind them?

[ "and the rest of their gang".

there's an obvious answer here, but mikado is too terrified to speak. he's never been this far from home, let alone this far with scary people who probably want to skin and eat him and sell his heart and bones to a witch. ]

If you don't answer we'll consider you luggage.

I...

[ He's got to try to stand up for himself. ]

---I don't want to talk to you...

[ ...even if his voice is tiny and shaking and it sounds like he's about to cry ]

Luggage it is then!

[He doesn't seem to have a problem with this. When they get there, Mikado will find himself tied up and tossed up behind someone like an extra pack.]

[ if he wasn't scared out of his fucking mind, mikado would have spent the journey kicking and screaming, but... no, he's scared out of his fucking mind, so he doesn't move much. ]

[It'll take a little while before they're entirely packed and ready to go. In that time, Kida returns to watch Mikado, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder in a completely friendly manner.]

Hey, you don't have to act like we're going to eat you alive or something.

You're kidnapping me.

Like I said, consider it a gift of freedom. Isn't it stuffy living in that castle?

[ i am not speaking to you. ]

I'm not going to hurt you. Seriously! We're going to get nice and secure and then maybe we'll ransom you. But then, if we do that they'll be out to get us forever and we won't have a bargaining chip. So maybe it's in our best interests to keep you!

I-- If you don't let me off now, I'll--

[ his voice is shaking and even though the crowned prince of the kingdom definitely has the power to do whatever he could fill the cut off sentence with, it's an empty threat. he could do anything to these people and get away from it but he's too sheltered and too hero-hearted to hurt anyone in that way. but, he's trying his best to sound fearful. to sound threatening. to sound like someone they don't want to mess with and kidnap and carry somewhere far away. ]

Edited 2013-04-01 00:48 (UTC)

I already said you didn't have to be luggage. You picked that yourself.

[He laughs again, reaching up to ruffle Mikado's hair as if they're friends.]

This could be fun, if you wanted.

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Prince Mikado and Masaomi's Band of Awful Thieves

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