The hot Egyptian sun beat down on the town, making everyone take shelter
for the hour that it was directly above head. Bakura, the infamous thief
and tomb robber, sat in the shade of a dark, deserted alley examining his
plunder for that day.
Quite a good haul, he thought, grinning. He had, in fact, gotten some good trinkets. He had several pieces of jewelry that he had taken from different vendors, a pouch of money from some unfortunate buyer who had not been paying attention, and a woven wool blanket. The most eye catching of all the items was a golden bracelet, studded with rubies.
As Bakura sat examining the items, he suddenly had the feeling that he was being watched. Quietly, he stood up and stood defensively in front of the blanket his plunder was spread out on. He looked down the alley, his fierce eyes narrowing. No one was about; everyone had taken shelter in their homes, until the sun wasn't so hot. No one would be out for at least another hour. Bakura shook his head and turned around, set on looking at his "good haul."
Bakura gasped, but his gasp turned quickly into a snarl.
"Get away from there!"
The small veiled figure looked up, then shoved something down his shirt and darted out of the white haired thief's grip. Bakura corrected himself and saw the kid sprint toward the street.
"Hey, twerp! Get back here with that!!!" Bakura cried.
But the lithe figure paid no attention. Bakura heard him chuckle as he ran, a trail of dust rising from behind him. The tomb robber snarled and took off after the thief.
Hearing the white haired teen give chase, the veiled person took a glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened for a second, then he resumed looking ahead, but his speed increased. Bakura smiled to himself. He could easily easily keep pace with the thief.
The two ran faster and faster through the deserted streets at the back of the market place, avoiding as many people as they could. The figure turned sharply down an alley. Bakura turned and followed. At the end of the alley, he could just see the outline of the person. He was climbing a small fence. Bakura sprinted easily down the to the end of the alley and followed him over the fence. The kid was just now turning out into another empty street.
"Stop! Get back here, miserable little curr!" Bakura shouted. Leaping down from the small barrier, he put on a burst of speed, swerving violently down the street the other thief had turned.
Ah, there he was, racing down the street.
Bakura ran as fast as he had only once before, when he was being chased by palace guards. He was gaining on this thief quickly.
Reaching out, he grabbed the back of the shirt the kid was wearing and threw him.
The kid let out a grunt, but righted himself quickly and caught himself in a crouching position.
Good reflexes... Bakura noted.
As the kid stood up, Bakura clenched his hand into a fist and threw a punch at the thief. But the veiled teen saw the blow coming and crouched down swiftly, sticking out his leg and turning in a 180 ( a sweep kick).
Bakura tried to leap over his leg, but the kick connected to the robber's ankle and sent him sprawling on the ground. The kid took this opportunity to jump up and turn. He had taken only one step when Bakura's hand shot out and grabbed the other's ankle.
"Not this time, brat!" Bakura snarled.
The kid tripped, unable to right himself this time.
Bakura leaped up and jumped on him, pinning the character on his back and holding his wrists down. The smaller thief struggled violently and only succeeded in getting Bakura even more pissed. Bakura's hand curled into a fist again and he smacked the kid on the side of the head. Then his hand moved up and ripped the veil off of the other thief's head.
Long, golden brown hair spilled out from under it, falling on Bakura's hands....
"A GIRL?!" he cried.
"That's right, now get off!!" the girl struggled harder again.
Bakura smacked her head again, and the girl winced. Now that he saw her up close and had had time to actually look at her, he was very aware that she was a girl.
She looked to be about the same age as him, with tanned skin and bright violet eyes. She was actually quite pretty, with out a veil on.
"I said get off!" she repeated.
"Not till you give me that bracelet back, you little thief." Bakura said, gripping her wrists tighter.
"Look who's calling the kettle black. You stole it first." the girl snarled.
"What? How do you know I don't own it, huh?" Bakura replied.
"Because I saw you steal it, from that rich-looking woman in the market place." the girl replied.
"So you've been following me!" Bakura accused.
"I figured I might be able to steal some good stuff away from you. You looked like you knew what you were doing." the female thief grinned.
"And you almost got away from me, too...." Bakura said.
"This isn't the first time I've stolen something. I think my target was too experienced though." the girl's grin widened.
Bakura almost smiled back. "What's your name, kid?"
"I'm not a kid. I'm 16. And my name's Kairi."
"Kairi, huh?" Bakura said. "Well, I think it's about time you returned that bracelet to me."
"Yeah, sure. Just promise you'll get off of me."
"Of course. But bracelet first." Bakura let go of one of Kairi's wrists.
Kairi slipped her hand down the front of her shirt and pulled out a silver bracelet with bright red rubies embedded in it. Handing it to Bakura, she grinned again.
"Now, you know my name, what's yours?" she asked.
"I don't usually give my name out to other thieves...." Bakura replied quietly.
"Oh, come on! It's not like I'll tell anyone that I met you."
"Fine. It's Bakura." he said. Slowly, he moved off Kairi and stood up.
"The Bakura?! The famous tomb-robber/ thief?" Kairi exclaimed as she stood up. "Wow! I never thought I'd get the chance to meet you."
Bakura smirked. It seems my reputation is spreading.
"Yes, I am Bakura." Bakura turned and began to walk away. "Good-bye, Kairi."
"Wait!"
The white-haired thief stopped and turned his head to face the girl.
"What now?" he growled.
"Er... well, I was wondering...." the girl began awkwardly.
"No."
"What?"
"I said 'no'. Now go home."
"You don't even know what I was gonna ask!"
"I said no and I mean no. I don't want you coming with me." Bakura said, turning all the way and glaring at her.
Kairi stood up straighter and glared back. "What if I can prove my skills to you, then can I come with you and work with you."
"WHAT?!" Bakura shouted. "You, work with me? The Great Bakura?! Hell no!"
"I'm very good. I only had a partner once before, but we worked well together. And I can steal basically anything." Kairi said defiantly.
"You couldn't steal from me."
Kairi smiled mischievously and reached down her baggy shirt again. From there, she pulled out a small gold chain with a single small jewel in it. It probably wasn't one of the most expensive thing, but Bakura could've gotten some good money for it. It was one that Bakura had stolen from a street vendor at the very beginning of the day.
"How in the name of Ra did you get that?!" Bakura cried. He hadn't even noticed it was missing.
"The bracelet was one of the best things in your pile. With a thing like that, who would ever notice a small thing like this necklace was missing?" Kairi replied, looping it around her neck.
"You're good. Not as good as me, but I must admit, you have a good eye."
Kairi's grin was the only reply.
"Well...I suppose...." Bakura said, then he stopped.
I could make her test extremely hard, almost impossible. Then I wouldn't have to work with her....
Bakura grinned evilly to himself. Yes, that was the obvious plan to take. If everything went right, she might even get herself caught.
"Alright, kid. I'll give you a test, and if you pass it you can work with me for a while."
Kairi nodded her head and smiled. "Okay then." She paused and looked up at the sky. The sun was no longer directly above the streets. It was just a little after one. "Let's get started soon, people will be coming out to shop now that the sun isn't so hot."
"Follow me." Bakura instructed.
Turning, Bakura led the way back to the small alley where Kairi had stolen the bracelet. After he'd picked up all his finds, the tomb robber grabbed Kairi's arm and roughly began pulling her down a series of dark, cool alleys until the came to the outskirts of town. There, Bakura led Kairi into a small hut.
"Find a veil or something to wrap around your head." he growled.
"Why?"
"Because, if you're traveling to town, it's best not to be recognized." Bakura told her as he himself wrapped a tan piece of clothe around his own head, completely covering his white hair.
"No one will recognize me anyway." Kairi said softly.
"Do it now. After this, people will begin to recognize you." the now veiled Bakura growled.
Kairi sighed and began looking around for another piece of clothe. Finding a small white piece, she tucked her golden hair into it and secured it.
"There." She said.
"Good. Now let's go. People will probably be out by now."
Quite a good haul, he thought, grinning. He had, in fact, gotten some good trinkets. He had several pieces of jewelry that he had taken from different vendors, a pouch of money from some unfortunate buyer who had not been paying attention, and a woven wool blanket. The most eye catching of all the items was a golden bracelet, studded with rubies.
As Bakura sat examining the items, he suddenly had the feeling that he was being watched. Quietly, he stood up and stood defensively in front of the blanket his plunder was spread out on. He looked down the alley, his fierce eyes narrowing. No one was about; everyone had taken shelter in their homes, until the sun wasn't so hot. No one would be out for at least another hour. Bakura shook his head and turned around, set on looking at his "good haul."
Bakura gasped, but his gasp turned quickly into a snarl.
"Get away from there!"
The small veiled figure looked up, then shoved something down his shirt and darted out of the white haired thief's grip. Bakura corrected himself and saw the kid sprint toward the street.
"Hey, twerp! Get back here with that!!!" Bakura cried.
But the lithe figure paid no attention. Bakura heard him chuckle as he ran, a trail of dust rising from behind him. The tomb robber snarled and took off after the thief.
Hearing the white haired teen give chase, the veiled person took a glance over his shoulder. His eyes widened for a second, then he resumed looking ahead, but his speed increased. Bakura smiled to himself. He could easily easily keep pace with the thief.
The two ran faster and faster through the deserted streets at the back of the market place, avoiding as many people as they could. The figure turned sharply down an alley. Bakura turned and followed. At the end of the alley, he could just see the outline of the person. He was climbing a small fence. Bakura sprinted easily down the to the end of the alley and followed him over the fence. The kid was just now turning out into another empty street.
"Stop! Get back here, miserable little curr!" Bakura shouted. Leaping down from the small barrier, he put on a burst of speed, swerving violently down the street the other thief had turned.
Ah, there he was, racing down the street.
Bakura ran as fast as he had only once before, when he was being chased by palace guards. He was gaining on this thief quickly.
Reaching out, he grabbed the back of the shirt the kid was wearing and threw him.
The kid let out a grunt, but righted himself quickly and caught himself in a crouching position.
Good reflexes... Bakura noted.
As the kid stood up, Bakura clenched his hand into a fist and threw a punch at the thief. But the veiled teen saw the blow coming and crouched down swiftly, sticking out his leg and turning in a 180 ( a sweep kick).
Bakura tried to leap over his leg, but the kick connected to the robber's ankle and sent him sprawling on the ground. The kid took this opportunity to jump up and turn. He had taken only one step when Bakura's hand shot out and grabbed the other's ankle.
"Not this time, brat!" Bakura snarled.
The kid tripped, unable to right himself this time.
Bakura leaped up and jumped on him, pinning the character on his back and holding his wrists down. The smaller thief struggled violently and only succeeded in getting Bakura even more pissed. Bakura's hand curled into a fist again and he smacked the kid on the side of the head. Then his hand moved up and ripped the veil off of the other thief's head.
Long, golden brown hair spilled out from under it, falling on Bakura's hands....
"A GIRL?!" he cried.
"That's right, now get off!!" the girl struggled harder again.
Bakura smacked her head again, and the girl winced. Now that he saw her up close and had had time to actually look at her, he was very aware that she was a girl.
She looked to be about the same age as him, with tanned skin and bright violet eyes. She was actually quite pretty, with out a veil on.
"I said get off!" she repeated.
"Not till you give me that bracelet back, you little thief." Bakura said, gripping her wrists tighter.
"Look who's calling the kettle black. You stole it first." the girl snarled.
"What? How do you know I don't own it, huh?" Bakura replied.
"Because I saw you steal it, from that rich-looking woman in the market place." the girl replied.
"So you've been following me!" Bakura accused.
"I figured I might be able to steal some good stuff away from you. You looked like you knew what you were doing." the female thief grinned.
"And you almost got away from me, too...." Bakura said.
"This isn't the first time I've stolen something. I think my target was too experienced though." the girl's grin widened.
Bakura almost smiled back. "What's your name, kid?"
"I'm not a kid. I'm 16. And my name's Kairi."
"Kairi, huh?" Bakura said. "Well, I think it's about time you returned that bracelet to me."
"Yeah, sure. Just promise you'll get off of me."
"Of course. But bracelet first." Bakura let go of one of Kairi's wrists.
Kairi slipped her hand down the front of her shirt and pulled out a silver bracelet with bright red rubies embedded in it. Handing it to Bakura, she grinned again.
"Now, you know my name, what's yours?" she asked.
"I don't usually give my name out to other thieves...." Bakura replied quietly.
"Oh, come on! It's not like I'll tell anyone that I met you."
"Fine. It's Bakura." he said. Slowly, he moved off Kairi and stood up.
"The Bakura?! The famous tomb-robber/ thief?" Kairi exclaimed as she stood up. "Wow! I never thought I'd get the chance to meet you."
Bakura smirked. It seems my reputation is spreading.
"Yes, I am Bakura." Bakura turned and began to walk away. "Good-bye, Kairi."
"Wait!"
The white-haired thief stopped and turned his head to face the girl.
"What now?" he growled.
"Er... well, I was wondering...." the girl began awkwardly.
"No."
"What?"
"I said 'no'. Now go home."
"You don't even know what I was gonna ask!"
"I said no and I mean no. I don't want you coming with me." Bakura said, turning all the way and glaring at her.
Kairi stood up straighter and glared back. "What if I can prove my skills to you, then can I come with you and work with you."
"WHAT?!" Bakura shouted. "You, work with me? The Great Bakura?! Hell no!"
"I'm very good. I only had a partner once before, but we worked well together. And I can steal basically anything." Kairi said defiantly.
"You couldn't steal from me."
Kairi smiled mischievously and reached down her baggy shirt again. From there, she pulled out a small gold chain with a single small jewel in it. It probably wasn't one of the most expensive thing, but Bakura could've gotten some good money for it. It was one that Bakura had stolen from a street vendor at the very beginning of the day.
"How in the name of Ra did you get that?!" Bakura cried. He hadn't even noticed it was missing.
"The bracelet was one of the best things in your pile. With a thing like that, who would ever notice a small thing like this necklace was missing?" Kairi replied, looping it around her neck.
"You're good. Not as good as me, but I must admit, you have a good eye."
Kairi's grin was the only reply.
"Well...I suppose...." Bakura said, then he stopped.
I could make her test extremely hard, almost impossible. Then I wouldn't have to work with her....
Bakura grinned evilly to himself. Yes, that was the obvious plan to take. If everything went right, she might even get herself caught.
"Alright, kid. I'll give you a test, and if you pass it you can work with me for a while."
Kairi nodded her head and smiled. "Okay then." She paused and looked up at the sky. The sun was no longer directly above the streets. It was just a little after one. "Let's get started soon, people will be coming out to shop now that the sun isn't so hot."
"Follow me." Bakura instructed.
Turning, Bakura led the way back to the small alley where Kairi had stolen the bracelet. After he'd picked up all his finds, the tomb robber grabbed Kairi's arm and roughly began pulling her down a series of dark, cool alleys until the came to the outskirts of town. There, Bakura led Kairi into a small hut.
"Find a veil or something to wrap around your head." he growled.
"Why?"
"Because, if you're traveling to town, it's best not to be recognized." Bakura told her as he himself wrapped a tan piece of clothe around his own head, completely covering his white hair.
"No one will recognize me anyway." Kairi said softly.
"Do it now. After this, people will begin to recognize you." the now veiled Bakura growled.
Kairi sighed and began looking around for another piece of clothe. Finding a small white piece, she tucked her golden hair into it and secured it.
"There." She said.
"Good. Now let's go. People will probably be out by now."