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The air in Vale was always brisk at this time of the day, regardless of the season. Perhaps it was that slight coolness left over from the night, still pooling languidly in the shadows and corners. The sun was only just making itself known to the world, cresting the ridges of the eastern mountains and throwing its golden glory right into the eyes of those moving around the city at this early hour.
Roman Torchwick liked the sun at this hour.
The blinding light of the sun was optimal at this hour for someone in Torchwick’s profession. The dazzling sunlight meant that people were less aware of themselves, more susceptible to acts of sleight of hand. Oftentimes, it would be quite some time before they realized that their wallet was slightly lighter than it had been before, their pockets devoid of some of the hard-earned Lien they had managed to accumulate.
Yes, for a pickpocket like Torchwick, this time of the day was perfect.
That said, today had been slow so far. It seemed that fewer and fewer people were up this early nowadays, and those that were seemed to be relying more and more on credit than traditional Lien. Torchwick’s pickings had become increasingly slim, and he was starting to think that he may have to invest in some credit-stealing equipment in order to stay afloat. It was not a price he wanted to pay, but then, he wasn’t exactly being given a choice.
Torchwick was shaken from his musings when he spotted something different heading his direction. It was a girl, no more than five feet, tops, with odd pink-and-black hair and a self-assured gait. Her outfit was clearly tailored from high-quality material, and the assortment of necklaces she wore exuded an atmosphere of wealth. In her right hand was a delicate-looking parasol adorned in complicated patterns. All in all, the girl seemed to exude an air of confidence, class, and haughtiness. Torchwick’s favourite type of victim.
Her appearance in this part of Vale, especially at this time of the day, was odd, to say the least. Most of the higher class would still be peacefully asleep at home, and even if they were up, they’d generally avoid such a crowded city street. “Cute girl,” remarked Torchwick under his breath, then amended, “they always are, aren’t they?”
Adjusting his own path, Torchwick continued walking down the sidewalk until he bumped into the girl. Hands working deftly and silently, he quickly located the girl’s coin purse and lifted it off of her body, even as he was apologizing for the collision. He was just turning to continue on his way when he saw the quick flash of recognition, then anger, pass across the girl’s face. Breaking into a run, Torchwick ducked quickly down the nearest alley, hoping to find a suitable escape route.
Unfortunately for Torchwick, the alley he had turned down was a dead end. Gazing at the wall in front of him, desperately trying to sort out a solution in his mind, Torchwick heard the leisurely click of heels behind him. As they stopped, Torchwick relaxed his posture, adopting a magnanimous grin and turning to face his victim.
“Uh, hey, listen. How’s about I just return your purse to you and we just drop this right now, no harm done?” The girl was silent for a moment, and Torchwick’s grip tightened on Melodic Cudgel. He hated getting his hands dirty, but he was starting to get the idea that he didn’t have much choice in the matter.
The attack was faster than Torchwick anticipated. One moment, the girl was just standing there, staring at him thoughtfully, the next he was up against the wall, the girl’s foot extended out in front of her. Before he was able to put together what exactly had occurred, the girl was in motion once again, moving towards him with the same sort of speed. Moving on instinct, Torchwick blocked the onslaught, attempting to parry wherever possible. Cane met umbrella in a number of blows, neither combatant giving an inch to the other.
As he battled, Torchwick desperately tried to think of a way out of the situation. Based on the way the fight was progressing, he was sure that this girl meant to do him some serious harm. She was shorter than he was, which meant attempting to topple her probably wouldn’t work, and she seemed to have the advantage in terms of agility. Torchwick could tell that where he was power, she was finesse, and unless he changed tactics, it was pretty clear how the fight was going to end.
Unfortunately for Torchwick, the girl seemed to be tiring of the fight, and with a sweeping kick, knocked his legs out from under him. The girl pressed a button on the handle of her parasol, and a long blade emerged from the end. She pointed the blade squarely at his Adam’s apple, a look of cool smugness on her face. Torchwick’s left hand grasped desperately for Melodic Cudgel, but the cane had fallen out of his reach. As the girl pulled back the blade, prepared to plunge it into his throat, a radical idea came to Torchwick.
“Whoa, whoa, before you do that, I have a proposition for you.” The girl paused, considering his words. Encouraged, Torchwick continued more confidently, “I think it’s pretty clear to both of us that you beat the hell out of me here. Now, you could just kill me and go about your business, or… we could work together.” Torchwick began to get up, the parasol’s blade following him as if drawn by a magnet. “With my cunning and your finesse, we could have these streets, hell, this whole city, under our command! Think of the take on that!”
The girl seemed to consider the offer, then Torchwick watched as the parasol blade retracted back into its sheath. He let out a brief sigh of relief and continued, “Alright, I’ll assume you’re interested. How’s about we head back to my place to work out the details?” The girl tilted her head quizzically, and Torchwick quickly added, “No funny business, I promise! Now, do we have a deal?” Torchwick extended his hand. After a moment, the girl shook it firmly.
“Excellent! I’m glad you decided not to, you know, end my life.” The girl’s grin widened slightly, and Torchwick could sense she appreciated his humour. “My name’s Roman, by the way. What’s yours?” The girl remained silent, and Torchwick faltered for a moment. “Okay, so you’re the strong and silent type. Well, that works, I guess. But you know what? I get the feeling that this will be a long and mutually-beneficial partnership…”