Cat and Mouse
Who: Lian and Dodge
When: Evening
Where: The Boardwalk Opening
Lian wasn't quite sure why she was here, other than the fact that one of her marks was milling around this opening. She'd been briefed by the elders that this job was going to be different. It would take a slightly different tactic to get the man she was after alone, and while they assured her that it would be more difficult, she doubted it. A crowded boardwalk opening was not much different than a crowded party and Mistress Orchid had more than enough experience with crowded parties and deadly deeds.
It was odd, though, knowing that she honestly didn't care whether this man lived or died. Normally she was apathetic towards the outcomes of her marks, since she knew the would die anyway whether or not she really wanted them to, but ever since Huo it had been worse. She'd been more sickened than anything else with the knowledge that she had another mark. Her long-lost brother was out there somewhere in the city right now and instead of being with him, catching up and plotting revenge, she was here, trailing a man she knew next to nothing about in order to slip poison into his system.
Once more dressed in her favorite pair of wide-leg gray tweed trousers and a crisp white blouse, Lian kept her eyes focused on her mark across the crowd. The sooner she could kill this man, the sooner she could get out of here. There was only one problem. He was just out of her reach at the moment, which meant she had to play the stalking game. She had to keep him in her sights, but pretend that she was interested in this opening even though she wasn't, just to keep up appearances. So for now, she stuck to trailing him, keeping her eyes open for any and all possible 'in's.
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The Boardwalk re-opening was too much for Dodge to miss, even with everything else going on. So he was there, alternating between picking pockets with his boys in tow and looking for new places to crash when his plan fell into place. He was wearing a mask, pretending everything was fine so they wouldn't know. At the same time he'd drifted away from them some, not wanting to see their smiling faces as they enjoyed 'work' as well as the opportunity to play that the Boardwalk provided.
Glancing around he spotted a familiar figure, one that had given him trouble before and he moved to intercept. She'd said something before about not stealing from her and suddenly the urge was there. A way he could prove how good he was in the wake of being reminded how horrible he was.
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Lian was not paying much attention to anyone other than her mark. If she could get in and get out of this opening, she wouldn't have to wait here and waste her time on this boardwalk. For now, she was leaning against a railing, watching her mark as he made his jolly way towards a snack stand and ordered himself a hotdog and a funnel cake. His need for disgusting amounts of heart-clogging food sickened Lian. Most of the food on this boardwalk sickened her. The smell of fried foods hung in the air like a fog and it was disgusting. But for now, she let him enjoy his awful food, keeping her eyes on him until he sat down on a bench. Only then did she let her eyes wander, knowing that he would be sitting there for a while. And only then did she see someone slightly familiar, a boy she'd had an out with some time before that she somewhat remembered but mostly knew she didn't care for and from then on her eyes were locked on him.
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He felt her eyes on him long before he glanced her way to see them. Most would give up, but Dodge had had a shitty few days so he opted to just go for it. Flashing her a grin, he tucked his hands in his pockets and sauntered over towards her, the poise of confidence and arrogance. "Enjoying yourself?"
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Lian was not impressed by his grin or by him being around her at all. She really didn't want to be dealing with this boy in the slightest but here he was, near her and bothering her. "...I was. What do you want?" She asked as she leaned back against the railing a bit more. She wouldn't make a show of it infront of Dodge, but she needed to check on her mark again. It would have to wait until she could safely steal a glance, though.
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"Were?" Dodge asked curiously. "There must be way we can remedy that, if you're no longer having fun." He was next to her now, leaning against the railing sideways so he was still looking at her. "What makes you think I want something?"
"There's nothing that we
"There's nothing that we will be doing. And I believe you want something because you were heading straight towards me. What do you want?" She repeated, glancing at him in a way that was very much her looking down at him.
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"Where's the fun in that?" Dodge asked, completely ignoring that she was looking down on him. That sort of thing never bothered him. He was still better than this woman. He might be horrible, but she was just cruel. That much he remembered. "And can't a guy just want to have a conversation with a lovely woman?" he followed up, laying on the charm.
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In that moment, Lian wanted to hit him. She wanted to strike a vital part on him, particularly his throat, so she could watch him writhe on the ground and gasp for air. "...That is the problem with men. You are all disgusting. Simply because you see something you 'like' does not mean that I do. You assume that every woman wants your attention, when really we couldn't care less about you. Men are nothing more than problems and imbeciles. I do not want your conversation, boy. Now, run along." Men were the least of Lian's worries and did not even come close to topping the list of things she was interested in.
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Dodge continued to smile despite what she was saying. "So which is it? Man or boy? You used both." He didn't move away, or back down. In fact he already was considering how best to move in closer. She was his mark now, wanting to take something from her to prove he could.
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"You? Are a boy. Perhaps I should have said male instead of men, however I don't believe that made the point I wanted to." She said, glancing down at him at him again before she turned finally and looked out over the crowd again. "I told you to run along, boy. It'd be wise if you did so." Good, at least her mark hadn't moved yet. She was still clear, but she needed to get closer to him. What was one more disgusting man dead anyway?
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Dodge raised an eyebrow at that, reaching up to pull at his fedora. He wondered briefly if he'd have to get rid of it when he changed over his persona. When she turned he made his move, slipping his hand behind her and deftly lifting her wallet out of her pants. "I'm not known for doing what's wise," he pointed out as he moved. "But do, enlighten me."
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"Apparently not. I told you never to steal from me..." She said, turning back as she held a hand out. "Return my wallet, boy, and I'll won't leave you disabled and broken on the ground. Do you honestly believe that I wouldn't feel the removal of something from my own pocket? Is that how you've made your living this whole time? The people in this town must be much more stupid than I originally thought."
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Dodge couldn't help but grin at that. It was almost shocking as he hadn't been caught since he was much, much younger than he was now, but it didn't phase him too much. Pulling the wallet from his coat he continued to smile but held it out, though not so she wouldn't have to lean into him to grab it. "You'd be surprised how self centered people are. They hardly notice."
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Lian was not impressed or amused. She held her hand out still, but didn't move closer to him. "Don't insult me. I don't let people who insult live to tell the tale. Give me my wallet," She said, her voice dropping a bit lower. She was dead serious and she wanted that seriousness to show in her eyes. He was doing noting more than annoying her. It was all she could do not to reach for her necklace and force a few drops of the poison from her vile on his tongue. At least then she could get her wallet back without a fuss.
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Dodge watched her for a long moment, taking in the seriousness of the situation she was laying out. Opting to not put his life at any more risk he dropped it back into her hand. It didn't matter, he still considered her a challenge. At least this way he knew he'd have something to amuse himself with when he dropped everything he had in his life now out of his life.
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She eyed him and then slipped her wallet back into her pocket, glancing back over at her mark again who was halfway through his funnel cake. Looking back at Dodge, she crossed her arms over her chest. "...Out of all of these people, why are you here beside me? You could be using those charms you are so fond of on someone that will actually appreciate them but instead you are standing here, trying to steal from me. Why?"
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"It's like how the master artist enjoys a new medium. The master thief can appreciate a challenge," Dodge explained, shifting to lean against the railing again. She hadn't sent him away again, which to him? Meant he got to stay. "That and last time you were busy trying to strike fear in the hearts of people around you, but you're acting rather subdued today. I'm wondering what you're really up to."
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On the contrary, Lian still very much wanted him to leave, but if she kept an eye on him he wouldn't try to steal from her again. And although she had time to spare while her mark gorged himself on fatty, fried foods, she also couldn't let this boy follow her when she did make her move . "Trying to steal from me is a massive waste of your time. This is one challenge you should pass up. And for your knowledge, I don't act any specific way. I am what I am." Even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. She made her living 'acting' like she was interested in things, including both the Lotus and their marks for her.
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"You mean to say that you're just here, enjoying those around you?" Dodge asked, with a raised eyebrow. He'd seen her in action before and he doubted that was the case. "And I don't back down on challenges easily. I would have thought you'd be the type of woman who could appreciate that in a boy." He smile at her, the playful Cheshire Cat grin that he'd kept in check the past few days because it had caused him more trouble than fun.
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"Save your time and don't think about me at all. There is nothing that I appreciate in boys. And my being here has nothing to do with you and is really none of your business. I am not concerned about your being here except that you should be bothering someone else and not me. I've warned you twice now that I am not one to be messed with, but that is the thing about boys. They do not take the advice given to them, no matter how relevant to them it is."
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Dodge chuckled a little. "No, we tend not to," he said with a nod. "It's what makes use both useful and a giant pain in anyone's ass." He pushed away from the railing, but kept one hand on it leaning outward for a moment while he regarded her with curious eyes. "I'll be watching you," he warned her before finally letting go of the railing and stepping away, purposefully bumping into a gentleman in front of him and making a show of lifting the man's wallet with ease. The man gave him a slight glare for the bump, but after an apologetic look from Dodge, he continued down the Boardwalk none the wiser about his missing wallet. Dodge flashed Lian one more grin before pocketing the stolen merchandise and strolling into the crowd.
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Lian lifted an eyebrow as she watched Dodge and the show he put on for her. Again, she was not impressed but as she watched Dodge walk away, she reached for her wallet again to flip through it and make sure he hadn't lifted anything from inside it. She was not worried that he'd actually 'be watching her', however she did wait to begin stalking her prey again until she thought Dodge was a good length away from her. For now, his threat could hang in the air as long as he wasn't there to bother her himself.