thiefstcr

[thiefstcr]

A NIMBLE TWIST KEEPS HER FROM LANDING　𑄝　flat among the scattered leaves like a greenhorn ; with a breath, she steadies her footing, stretching a little this way and that to work out any kinks while peering back up through the crisscross of branches at her target. lucky for her, that hash of pink stands out like a sore thumb amid the green, and she rubs at her nose with the back of her hand and gives a sniff, pride smarting from being caught off guard by something so dumb.

but a talking bird. . . greed bares its teeth in the depths of her. she knew she'd been right about this thing being special. and now, she'd expected it to take off again as soon as it could, but it's stayed right where it is, only fluttering up a little bit higher. it didn't look like all it wanted to do was mess with her——she'd know the signs of something flagging anywhere, pursuer or pursued. "laugh all you want. but you and i both know you're on your last legs though. it's only a matter of time."

and precision.

she's not as topped up as she was this morning either, but there's still enough in her for a few more go's——compared to the type of stuff she had to do back in the day? a half-day hike like this was nothing. rustling through the leaves, something brown and a little sharp pinches her on the cheek as it drops, but then she makes her move.

up, and up ; deft leaps and grabs take her from branch to branch like steps on a ladder. now that the jig was up, there was no point in being stealthy anymore. right until she's just about level with the bird again, grin flashing a pointed canine.

"no more running, hot wings. you're mine——!"

゛𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

#GHRevelation2025⠀∶⠀a different definition of ' hot wings '

[thiefstcr]

“If you are here to report something stolen…” The security guard is one of many to wear the same haunted expression. Dark circles speak volumes, “I can assure you, Sir, there is an ongoing investigation. Please, if you can, detail your lost possessions in your app, and you will be notified when the situation is resolved.”

With his phone already in hand, Zhongli frowns. “I am having trouble navigating-“ A shriek draws his attention, followed by a deafening crash of shattering glass. At his side, the guard stiffens, muttering apologies as he goes.

The hotel is in chaos. Crying, shouting, pointed fingers at every corner – it seems nothing has been spared. Casino credits, jewels, priceless artifacts and…

His vision. Stolen directly from where it was secured to his person. How? His mind reels to think of it – he might never have noticed, were it not for the trace amount of geo energy that he tethers there, so that it would react as a normal vision for anyone who might be looking. It’s not the first time in six thousand years someone has attempted to steal directly from his person-

Though. It is the first time they’ve gotten away without swift retribution.

After several more swipes of his phone, Zhongli slips it into his pocket with a sigh. The resort’s app may have security features, though he’s unsure about the purchases behind identity theft that scroll across the screen. What good would it do him now, if his effects have already been carted away?

As before, there are very few traces afforded by his elemental sight.

‘A commendable skill, surely,’ He admits this to himself, eyes of molten cor lapis glimmering as he catches the smallest sliver of a golden trail, as good as any footprints etched into the ground before him. Not the thief’s trail, but his own. The geo aura clinging to the vision calls to him. An unfortunate oversight…but how many others could claim to maintain a false vision?

Despite this, the hunt is not a simple one. Confusion has him faltering, the trail vanishing in an instant, then drawing in a different direction. Somewhere far, like a seelie playing tricks – lighting here and then there and back again with only a flash of silver to ground him to a person over a ghost.

As the sun begins to set, Zhongli notes his patience is chipping. This time, his target is unmoving, wariness lining his shoulders like a shield as he approaches. It is the same woman, distinctive ears and tail unmistakable as he turns the corner to spot her. The damning geo trail of his stolen property halos around her, but he stifles the instinct to strike before she can flash away. If she were a specter…it would cause more spectacle than it was worth, trying to detain her.

“Pardon me,” He begins, the politeness of the greeting nearly overshadowed by the circumstance of their meeting. “I do not think we have been acquainted. I am Zhongli,” Normally, introductions are meant to be more. Tea and pleasantries, names and idle chatter. It’s a skill he has mastered, and so he folds his hands at his front and tilts his head down to examine her, “Forgive me. I seem to have lost something quite precious to me. If you have the time to lend a second pair of eyes, I would be most grateful. Miss…?” The clip of his tone offers honest curiosity. How did she do it?

FOR HOW ALIEN AND ADVANCED THIS PLACE LOOKED ,　𑄝　it'd taken her almost no time at all to figure out its ins and outs. empyrea wasn't so complicated ; once you got past how boxy and dead everything looked, how there was more metal than people, it was actually a pretty welcome place for someone like her! tall buildings that scraped the sky like obelisks meant plenty of vantage spots and hiding places ; lots of crowds and noise meant lots of distractions ; and everyone was staring down at their teleslates all the time like it was their default head position, so nobody was paying attention.

not to their surroundings, not to each other, and definitely not to one little kitty cat in the window, readying her pulleroo ~

"let's gooooo, mraurrrahahaha ~ !!!" in the midst of the shattering glass and screams and everything falling over, her happy trilling laugh gets totally drowned out. "mine, mine, mine! every little bit is mine!!"

credits, chips, sparkling crystals ; that one guy's nice belt. all of it, all of it!

she hops off the ledge and back out of sight to the song of chaos ongoing behind her, the haul already tucked away nice and easy. only one piece still stays on her person: a dangling little glowing thing she twirls around one finger as quick leaps vault her over onto the next rooftop over, then down the ledges of a fire escape and into a dark side street. the first week, she'd still been feeling things out, so she'd stuck to small prey: individuals here and there, a bauble or two hush-hush, building up to a much bigger heist like this one.

still though, it's not satisfying——it'd been too easy, too quick. barely any security to get by, no traps, hardly any stealth needed. and, as she takes a look around and behind her, not even anyone giving chase. where's a girl to have her fun? maybe on the next one, she'll at least let herself get caught to make things more interesting. "hope the haul at least makes up for it," she says to herself, zigzagging through some alleys and skirting the trimmed hedges at the edge of a mid-city park. since there's no one after her, she can afford to take her time: doubling back here, taking a detour there, grabbing some ice cream. thieving could be hard work! and in the height of summer?

finally, she finally settles down on an out-of-the-way bench in the shade of some big civil-looking building just as the sun is starting to make its way down the sky. as she lets down her hood to catch some of the early evening breeze to dry out the sweat, she gives the chocolate cone a few idle licks while turning the amulet curiously over the fingers of her other hand. at least, she thinks it's some kind of amulet. "now just what kind of trinket are you, hm, little shiny?" it looks pretty old-fashioned, maybe something traditionally-made. the amber rock fixed in a case in the middle had been glowing when she'd first taken it, but now it's gone dull and lifeless, like some power source had been shut off. how does she get it to shine like that again? she gives it a good shake, then flicks it.

maybe she needed some magic words.

hm? she sniffs the air, fur at the base of her tail prickling. someone's close.

"pardon me." not a couple seconds later, a deep voice interrupts her thoughts, and she drops her hands. when she turns around on the bench to see him, only the ice cream cone is still in them, and she gives the man addressing her a wary down-up.⠀(⠀it's not just because he might've come here for her ; who just walks up to strangers in a city and introduces himself?⠀)⠀a beat passes as if she's thinking for a second before replying: "what does you losing something have to do with me? i'd be rich if i had a credit for every careless person in this city." finishing the last of the chocolate cone, she gets up and stretches luxuriously with a sigh ; maybe he was here because he somehow managed to track her down, or maybe he really was just a clueless, desperate guy. oh well. it's not like she had anything better to do, and maybe this'd end up more fun than her earlier stunt.

she turns around, hand on her hip. "fine, i'll help you look. so then, what exactly did you lose? and just how precious are we talking?"

[thiefstcr]

SHE DOESN'T THINK SHE'S EVER MET　𑄝　a bird this feisty in her life. she'd tracked it all over the park, from the start of the valley down close to the edge of the beach all the way inland, through woods and over hills. she's not sure where it's going, and honestly, it's not even that she wants to eat it——what, did you think she's a cat or something?——but it's gotta be something rare, she just knows it. her nose knows it by now, with just a single sniff.

"why'd you have to be such a pain in the ass. . . ?" she's almost got it now, though. it's cornered up in this tree and it's obviously tired ; it's been flying lower and slower for the last few hours. ha! there's no competing with the thiefstar's stamina when it comes to chasing and running. "if you'd just come all nice and easy the first time, we wouldn't have had to go through this whole cat-and-mouse, and i wouldn't have wasted half my day."

another foot up the tree. another foot.

she grabs onto a higher branch and hoists herself up soundlessly. the boughs don't even shake ; not a single leaf quivers. her ears flicker, and she lowers her weight slowly down onto her heels, tensed to spring.

one, two. . .

suddenly, the bird looks straight down at her with a stormy, exhausted look in its unpatched eye. "lay off, bro!"

wha——?? did it just talk?! she's so startled that she narrowly loses her footing, grabbing with her whole body onto the branch, now definitely shaking, before she falls off completely.　/　@whistledart

゛𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗦, 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 ⸝⸝.ᐟ ⋆

#GHRevelation2025⠀∶⠀a different definition of ' hot wings '

[thiefstcr]

CIPHER is officially present at empyrea!! where there's lots of people, there's always lots to pilfer. honestly, she's not here for a vacation or anything ; she's mostly just curious by nature and needs little reason to come and go, sowing a bit of chaos in her wake. anything shiny? she probably has her eyes on it. especially when it comes to the bigwigs and everything overflowing with luxury at the hotel —— it's practically begging to be nabbed.

cipher is open to receiving event asks, and i'm definitely aiming to grab her the prize. since i'm still prioritizing the lore event otherwise, i'm not open at the moment to extending interactions into threads other than the one i already agreed to.

　　ᯓᡣ𐭩　generally speaking, you can reasonably find her anywhere other than chora beach and the wave pool —— she does detest water 　　ᯓᡣ𐭩　she likes to indulge and live up the high life from time to time, who doesn't? but she doesn't stay in one place for long

[thiefstcr]

CIPHER - Piece of Cake