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Tweak says, "You come from sad whale family"

parker succeeds by stealing the success of others (inafivepoundbag) wrote in colligo_threads,
@ 2011-05-19 13:06:00

Entry tags:

kenzi, parker

WHO: Parker and Kenzi
WHAT: Two of the resident thieves decide to have a little fun.
WHEN: [Backdated] 7PM, following this
WHERE: The courtyard → Grand Library → Crowley's casino → ??
RATING: TBD (probably fairly high since Kenzi has a potty mouth)
STATUS: In Progress

After being assured following the incident the day before that the casino was very much centaur free and would not suddenly have one appear that was angry and shouting at her, Parker had spent most of her day hanging out there. She wasn't on the clock, so to speak, but that didn't stop her from keeping an eye on things just the same. However somewhere around the afternoon she had gotten a bit bored and turned her attention to the network, which is how she came across comments made by another girl that sounded so much like something she would say it was almost frightening.

A few posts later, she and the girl (Kenzi was her name, according to the other people in the post) had made plans to meet up that evening. Parker had set out immediately to case a few places, wanting to set up a good night on the town for the other girl if nothing more than as a professional courtesy to a fellow thief. She figured the library was a good place to start. The guards knew her, they wouldn't give them too hard of a time but would keep things challenging, and Parker was pretty sure that Kenzi likely hadn't snagged her book when she'd first showed up in the city so there was a reason for going in there as well.

After the library, and following a quick text to Crowley to confirm it was okay, she was going to bring Kenzi by Eden for a while. This was her stomping ground, where she felt most comfortable in the entire city, and was a good way to show the other girl why it was never a good idea to try to cheat Crowley out of his money. That seemed an important lesson for a thief to know. After that... well, Parker wasn't sure exactly what they were going to do. She had a few things in mind varying from showing the girl the best ways to lift items at the museum without getting busted and where to fence the goods, to the easiest stores to lift items from without ticking off the non-locals. No matter what they decided to do, though, she was sure they'd have fun with it and was very much looking forward to their night out.

Which is why most would likely assume she was driving like a squirrel on crack as she made her way to the courtyard between the apartment buildings at seven that night. However that was actually just how Parker drove, especially considering she had snagged herself a pretty bad-ass car quite some time ago and saw no reason to have an Aston Martin of all things and not drive it like it was stolen. So it was with a screeching of tires and a pretty awesome side-slide up to the curb that she made her entrance. Popping up from the driver's seat, she stood on her seat and peered out, over the top of the convertible, to the girl standing there. There was a grin on her face that was mischievous and slightly off-balanced, which was her typical smile most days anyway, as she offered the girl a wave.

"Kenzi, right? I'm Parker. Hop in."

If it wasn't Kenzi, she was going to run whoever it was over for being so close to her car. Nevermind that she was the one who had pulled up alongside them and not the other way around.

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collectswallets
2011-05-20 12:53 am UTC (link)

Ooh squealing wheels. Yeah that was definitely fun. Kenzi just grinned, "That is some collection. Oh man, if I had a ride like this.." she shook her head. It was so pretty. She wanted to rub her cheek on the dash. Not that she would of course. "I definitely have to get to know some people who can get me some stuff like that." Every time they did something for someone, Bo was always the one who got other things, she just got the money. Which was fine, she liked the money.

"My book?" Kenzi looked confused for a minute and then shook her head. "Oh no. I mean I've heard of it, but then I didn't really get what the book was about or what's in it. No one likes to give a straight answer around here, y'know?"

That sounded like a cool place to go as any. Especially if there was a book about her in it. Breaking into a place sounded like fun to her though. She was just all set to learn.

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inafivepoundbag
2011-05-20 02:35 am UTC (link)

There was a slight crease in her brow when Kenzi didn't seem to really get what the book deal was all about. Parker didn't always explain things in a way people got but she would at least give it a try. "The book's about you," she said plainly, casting a glance at the girl while shifting gears on the car. "Who you are, what you've done since you've been here. It updates everyday. Like magic." She nodded matter-of-factly, shifted gears once more and cutting a sharp right turn, sending them skidding across a lane and coming to a stop against the curb.

The library was just a few steps away. Parker pulled apart the wires that kept the car running with an expert flick of her finger and hopped onto the seat. "It'll have your name on it. You only take yours." Her eyes crinkled as she smirked, climbing out of the car and pulling her leather jacket out of the backseat. Checking her pocket for her travel sized lock-picking kit, she tugged the jacket on and looked to Kenzi as she made her way around the car to the sidewalk.

"That's a real rule. Don't break it. The guards are nice enough as long as you do not break that rule." She paused suddenly, spinning abruptly away from the library to look at the girl. She leaned in a little bit, voice lower as she added, "Until I show you how, obviously."

And with a wink, she turned back to the building, looking around for any signs of life on the side street before moving, arms held straight at her sides, toward the side where no one would be able to spot them poking around.

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collectswallets
2011-05-20 06:16 pm UTC (link)

"Like a weird creepy diary that someone writes in about what you do every day? That's weird that it knows what you're up to." Yeah, she wasn't sure about all of that. Though no one would really like that someone was writing down the things they were doing and knew. Like Big Brother was watching. Totally creepy. When the car slid around, she looked a bit excited. This was definitely the way to drive. But she definitely wanted this book of hers.

Getting out of the car, she stretched out her arms and joined Parker up on the sidewalk. "Only take mine. Gotcha. I can do that." Oh temptation, it would rear it's ugly head. But Kenzi could follow directions, despite what it seemed like. Then she grinned a little. God this was fun.

She followed, being as quick and quiet as she possibly could.

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inafivepoundbag
2011-05-21 03:13 am UTC (link)

Parker led her around the side of the building, toward a row of bushes that blocked them from being seen on the street. There was a small gate there, a hatch of some sort. Parker slid her hand through a hole near the latch, unhooking it from the inside and pulling it open. It revealed nothing beyond besides darkness. She glanced over her shoulder to Kenzi.

"It's like a big, dark slide," she assured the girl with a grin. "Totally safe. Just keep your arms tucked in and plant your feet when you come out the other end so you don't fall flat on your butt. That'd probably hurt at the speed you're going to be going by the time you get to the bottom." And with that, and a little wave, Parker climbed inside and disappeared with an echoing "Woohoo!!!!"

Landing at the bottom, where it dropped her out into a cell that had long stopped being capable of holding anyone with half a brain, she quickly moved out of the wall then called back up the chute, "Okay! Your turn! Come on down!" Then she pulled her lock-picking kit from her pocket, unzipped it, selected two small files that she could use to jimmy open the lock, and moved toward the door. She didn't start picking it right away though, instead waiting for Kenzi to see if the girl wanted a shot first.

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collectswallets
2011-05-21 05:27 am UTC (link)

Peering up at the hatch, she wondered if this was actually safe. Probably not, but that's why they were doing it, right? With the last of Parker's instructions, Kenzi psyched herself up and then climbed inside and waited for the signal that it was her turn to slide down. Well here went nothing! With a bit of a push, Kenzi slid down, tucking her arms in as instructed. She made a bit of noise as she slid down. "Oh my god this is aweeeeeeeeesomeeeeeee.." she cried out.

When she got to the bottom, she planted her feet and sprang up as fast as she could before she had a chance to fall flat on her face. She wobbled slightly, but looked quite psyched about that part. Man that was fun. Looking around, she noted that she was in a cell. Huh. Well that made sense. And so did Parker getting out her tools to pick the lock. "That was so much fun."

Kenzi glanced at the lock and the fact that Parker seemed to be indicating that she might let Kenzi have a turn. "Seriously? Oh awesome. I can totally do this." And she could too! Taking the tools from the kit, Kenzi got near the lock and then proceeded to jimmy it open. It only took a couple of moments. Parker could undoubtedly do it faster. But at least she could do it.

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inafivepoundbag
2011-05-21 04:47 pm UTC (link)

While Kenzi was busy picking the lock, Parker kept an eye out for anyone else who might happen along. The best she could tell there wasn't anyone locked up underneath the library for giving the guards too hard of a time, but she also had been so focused on other things lately that she wouldn't swear to it. However from where she was standing the coast seemed all clear... minus the telltale sounds of the guards moving about on the floor above them. Whether they'd made enough racket to earn their attention or not was anyone's guess and something they likely would never know as Kenzi managed to get the lock open so they could continue onward.

"Good job!" she complimented the girl with a grin. Kenzi definitely had skills of her own and more than enough intelligence to learn even more. "Next time, just try poking less and wriggling more. You're a girl, not a guy." It was a slightly off-putting analogy but Parker had found those tended to work best. People often remembered off colored comments even during times of immense stress.

Making their way out of the cell, she motioned for Kenzi to follow her down a narrow corridor that eventually opened up into a large storage room. Rows upon rows of blank books, with equally blank spines, greeted them. Moving to one of the shelves, Parker turned back to the girl with her. "These are the books on the locals," she explained. "No names because I don't think Morgan Freeman names them or cares what they're called, and if they're taken out of the library the local goes away and the book goes blank." It was a creepy, creepy situation Parker didn't like dwelling on for long.

"But!" she added with another mischievous grin, "swap one of these bad boys out with one of ours upstairs and the guards are subsequently fooled until we're long gone." Pulling two random books off the shelves, she handed one to Kenzi then nodded toward a staircase in the far corner of the room.

"And that's the quickest way up there. Drops us right out in the center of the room. Wanna go first?" She paused, then added, "Oh! Just... ignore the guards if they're standing around nearby. They won't get handsy as long as you don't bug them."

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collectswallets
2011-05-21 06:52 pm UTC (link)

Kenzi peered up at the ceiling when she heard the sound of the guards moving up there. It was only for a second before she was back to what she was doing. Parker's off-color analogy had made her snort a little with laughter. It was true though, she would definitely remember that over some other humorous way to describe picking a lock. "Wriggling, not poking. Gotcha." Once the tools were back in their place, Kenzi followed Parker out of the cell and down the corridor.

Getting to the books, Kenzi just blinked. She hadn't realized that so many people were there. "Wow," she muttered under her breath. It was a lot to take in. There were just so many of them. She wondered how they all fit in there. She was distracted enough that she almost didn't hear what Parker had to say on the locals, though when she did, she felt entirely too creeped out. "They just.. disappear? That's.. that's seriously fucked up." She didn't like that. Not at all.

Thankfully Parker was there to distract both of them from the weirdness of this place. She took the random book and then headed towards the staircase. "Sure! So just go up there, don't bug the guards. Find my book and then swap it out? Do I have to do it in a certain amount of time or something?" She wouldn't be surprised at all if the books had some weird timing device, even if they couldn't see it.

Right, she could do this. Once she had made sure that was what she was supposed to do, Kenzi headed up the stairs, book in hand. This was like Mission Impossible! Except without the troll known as Tom Cruise.

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inafivepoundbag
2011-05-25 06:07 am UTC (link)

"Find your book," Parker replied, "but don't touch it yet. I'm going to show you the easiest way to do it. Just head up there and start looking. I'll be right behind you!"

Waiting until Kenzi had started climbing up the stairs, Parker snagged another book from the shelf and followed along behind her. The staircase was fairly nondescript, except for the fact that it was winding to avoid making it steep, and she stepped through what amounted to little more than a hole in the floor when she'd reached the top without issue. She tossed a wave at the guards; both were standing against a far wall simply observing. Next she made her way to Kenzi, grinning up at the shelves upon shelves of blank books (and the three with titles on them) that made up the 'reality' Kenzi was from.

"Folks start showing up and their names appear on a book," she explained from beside the girl. "You can flip through them here but the second you try to leave, the guards are going to spaz. Sooooooo..." Without anymore preamble, Parker lifted the nearest book - with the name Dyson written across it in both English as well as some other language Parker didn't even recognize - and pulled the blank cover off one of the books she'd brought with her from the floor below. Sliding it over Dyson's book, she flashed Kenzi a grin.

"See? Just keep your back to the guards and try not to look like you're about to steal someone's life story and you're good to go! Now you try it." Pausing, she added, "With your book. The guards are less touchy with your book so do that one first." She snorted. "We don't want to end up squished!"

Not that there was much funny about that thought but, well, this was Parker. She tended to find humor in the strangest of places.

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collectswallets
2011-05-25 07:53 am UTC (link)

Without any other need for instruction, Kenzi headed up the stairs and started searching out her book. Some of these names she couldn't even read. Some that were just funny to read and sounded like they should be the beginning of a prank call (Is Seymour Butts there?) though she didn't touch anything, she just kind of laughed at some of them. Eventually though she found the one that had her name, and not just her name but Bo's book and Dyson's book as well. It was odd, she hadn't really heard Parker follow her up the stairs, but then there she was. That girl really didn't make any noise, did she?

She listened, and nodded her head. Great, so she had to do some acting. Well sort of acting. More like acting and some slight of hand. Right. She could do this. Act like she wasn't stealing a book. God, why did Parker have to look like getting squished was fun? Maybe once this part was over, Kenzi could breathe a little more and relax. It was her first time after all. "Right, don't get squished. Gotcha."

With one tiny little look back at the guards, she turned her back on them and then plucked out her book. Carefully and quickly, she switched the blank cover from the one below with her own and then tried to act like she wasn't swapping out books. Books were so fumbly and large and annoying. Ah well. It took a moment, but Kenzi finally managed to get the other cover on. She supposed she was supposed to hide her own book, so she tucked it under her jacket as calmly as could be.

"Uhh.. should we be going?"

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