cancry | The Heist

The Heist

They had been investigating for weeks, planning and setting up for what seemed like forever. But now was the time for everything to go into action. One team dressed up and settled into various undercover positions in the casino- including Lion himself over at the slots, in case he needed to call Greta and let her know someone was calling her out. Though hopefully, word of mouth would find her first.

Another at the bank, Mona using her Executor weapon to prove they could break-in at any time. It was all or nothing now- either way Greta was about to learn there were way more Executors than she previously assumed.

That is, if the Executors were right in their assumptions. But after last time who knows what might happen...

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Important question before you proceed.

Which corridor are you heading down?

And are you paying attention to the other one?

[What do you take her for, she looks both ways before trying the one on the left.]

Oh, good! In that case, Wolfsbane will get a good look at the caped, masked figure charging at her from the left corridor, carrying what looks like a metal baseball bat and raising it to swing right at her.

[Sword, meanwhile, is absolutely looking down the right.]

Just a bog standard corridor! I'd tell you to go and proceed but you've got that whole situation coming in from the left, so...

[i mean that's probably pretty loud, so luckily Phoenix is already in his Executor gear]

[he'll just move to see if he can't block that and/or knock someone silly with a cane. Looking to knock out rather than murderize, thankfully.]

Like an absolute lad, Phoenix manages to dive in at just the right time to intercept the blow and with his enhanced Executor strength, sends the bat spinning out of the assailant's hands.

They gasp in surprise and stagger back a few steps, but before anyone can make another move, they hold up their hands in a transparent surrender.

"Wait, wait, just wait...!"

Keeping their movements slow and careful, they lift one hand and push the mask up from her face. None of you have met her before, but those of you who can see her will recognize her even if only from reputation and second-hand descriptions. It's the hot Phantom lady from the theater – the previous Authority holder of Avaritia.

"I knew it. Phantom Thieves... you really are here."

Sure, this might as well happen.

"I'm waiting. Would you like to explain what that was for, in the brief time we have to spare?"

"I thought you were one of the security guards." Then, a little defensively; "I was just aiming for a knock out. Nothing serious."

Seriously not helping her case, more like.

Phoenix sighed, but on the other hand? Fair enough.

"I take it you're here for the same reason we are?" He wasn't going to elaborate on that, for obvious reasons. Better to let her explain herself into a corner.

"Oh, of course. I'm here to rob Greta blind."

... She says that very matter–of-factly.

Yeah, the look on Sword's face says a lot, and what it says is "are you serious".

"And we're supposed to believe you?"

She raises an eyebrow at him. "What reason would I have to lie?"

She's flippant at first, but then her expression and her voice shift just a bit – something wistful, maybe even a little nostalgic, along with a healthy dose of plain old bitterness.

"She already stole something from me. I don't even understand what it was or how she did it. I just know that it's gone and she took it from me. And now I want it back."

"...She does have a point."

It wasn't like they were here to do anything different.

"But if you don't know how or what, how do you know something was stolen from you?"

"The same way an Eidolon knows something's amiss, I would imagine." She summons her axe, but isn't about to use it yet. "Although in this case, it's not so much about the Cogs of Renewal as something more personal."

Hot Phantom Lady raises an eyebrow, but she doesn't say anything – not right away, anyway, but the words Eidolon and Cogs of Renewal clearly fly right over her head. If they're ringing any sort of bell for her, then she doesn't let it show.

"Maybe it's just my confidence." she says, with a self-deprecating smile. "Or even just my winning streak. But she stole it from me when she won that hand of cards and I'm getting it back, no matter what."

She might not be able to articulate it in the same way as the Executors, but it seems like she's talking about the Authority of this Layer.

"You were the one in charge before her, right?"

"In charge?" She looks a little puzzled, but after a moment, she shrugs. "I suppose you could put it like that. I definitely had the most wins and everyone at the casino knew my name. But now all anyone talks about is little miss Greta."

She grins in a way that looks just a bit like baring teeth.

"It just doesn't seem fair, does it? So I thought a little payback was in order, especially since you all served up such a good opportunity."

"...What do you think?" He looked in Sword and Wolfsbane's general direction. "We might benefit from the help, if she wants it so badly."

Give her the Authority, and maybe not have to start even more shit with her in exchange for passage through the rest of the layer? Not that he was optimistic it would be that easy.

"So we help her, but will she help us?" Because Sword sees what Phoenix is implying, but how do you say "if she becomes the new Authority will she work with us" without...saying that.

"I hate to agree with you, but..." Wolfsbane frowns. "On the other hand, what happens if we don't?"

“It’s a risk regardless of what option we take.” After dealing with Esme, he really wasn’t overly inclined to take the nice route again. “I can’t say I like the idea of trusting in a hypothetical, but we haven’t many options at hand right now.”

"Surely we can take her if she does anything. Especially with how she is right now."

Sword just gives Wolfsbane a Look when she says that, as if to say "really? right in front of her?"

"If we help you," he says to the woman, "will you promise to help us?"

Rather than offended, Miss Phantom just looks bemused.

"We have the same goals, don't we? We're all here to put Greta in her place. Why wouldn't I want to help you?"

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nobody saw that

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