Re: Lesson 1: It's Not a Good Idea to Pick a Cop's Pocket

by **Andrew** Sat Oct 06, 2012 12:57 pm

Between the grin and moving closer, it really wasn't helping the conclusion Andrew had jumped to. He stiffened, muscles tensing in anticipation of some sort of violent move.

“Relax. I can’t do anything to convince my credibility so I’ll just prove it by keeping true to my word.”

Andrew was about to say something scathing, but the cop suddenly sitting on the dirty pavement made him cut himself off to gape instead. That's going to stain, floated across his thoughts, momentarily distracting himself. He shook his head slightly, listening to Ceara trade words with the other guy.

“What I really want? Well, that would be for me to somehow convince the two of you to stop wasting your potentials living a life as delinquents...and if I’m lucky, to help you get started on a clean page. Although...the chances of that happening, is entirely up to you.”

Andrew scoffed. "You honestly think that either of us would some of the things we do if we had another choice? Of course you do. It's easy enough for you, being normal. You don't get doors slammed in your face or have people look at you with fear or hate just for being born different. As you've already pointed out, we aren't normal. As far as people like you are concerned, we aren't good for anything except laying down and dying."

No, Andrew wasn't bitter at all, being reminded of his father and the mind games he had played and the angry tirades he had flung in his son's direction, when he even acknowledged his existence. He just hated being toyed with for any reason, no matter how benevolent the intentions may have been.

by **Ceara** Sat Oct 06, 2012 3:49 pm

She watched the man sit down. He made himself comfortable, obviously trying to convince them that he wanted to do no harm. He definitely was not in a position to attack, but Ceara kept herself on guard anyway. She had no reason to trust the man.

“What I really want? Well, that would be for me to somehow convince the two of you to stop wasting your potentials living a life as delinquents...and if I’m lucky, to help you get started on a clean page. Although...the chances of that happening, is entirely up to you.”

The girl snorted. That’s what he wanted? To help them? Did this man think that they chose to live this way? It wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried to live an honest life, but it was hard to pull yourself out, especially with people like her.

“You honestly think that either of us would some of the things we do if we had another choice? Of course you do. It's easy enough for you, being normal. You don't get doors slammed in your face or have people look at you with fear or hate just for being born different. As you've already pointed out, we aren't normal. As far as people like you are concerned, we aren't good for anything except laying down and dying."

Ceara nodded, agreeing with her cousin, before opening her mouth and attempting to speak in a calm and controlled voice. “We just need to do what we can to survive. You don’t think I haven’t tried to go legit? It’s hard enough to get a job without a diploma – A harbinger without formal education? No way in hell.” She huffed and paused a moment to calm down. “So I steal. I don’t do it for fun, just out of necessity. Would it be nice if I didn’t have to? Yeah, but it’s impossible for a completely blank slate.”

Granted, she had it better than most harbingers or really anyone in her situation. At least she had a roof over her head. Ceara was lucky enough to find Tal, who made enough money to keep that roof. The girl only stole to essentially pay for their food and clothes as payment, so she didn’t feel as if she was mooching off her best friend.

by AJ Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:52 am

^{Spoiler:
all i can say right now is: omgmotha&%^&*%wackaflacka. wall of text coming at you. might edit the last speeches because i'm still not sure if I wrote them the way I want them to come out. feedback would be appreciated}

It was obvious that Aiden had struck a nerve with the both of them, but he quietly listened on until they exhausted what they needed to say. In a way it was kind of refreshing, to hear people speak so openly and to bare their true feelings unabashed to complete strangers like him. It was that raw honesty that made youths so adorable admirable.

“You honestly think that either of us would some of the things we do if we had another choice?"

Not at all.

"Of course you do. It's easy enough for you, being normal. You don't get doors slammed in your face or have people look at you with fear or hate just for being born different."

Oh if only he knew. Actually, a lot of what he said sounded eerily similar to Aiden’s field work. But it was probably better to keep that comment to himself.

"As you've already pointed out, we aren't normal. As far as people like you are concerned, we aren't good for anything except laying down and dying."

“We just need to do what we can to survive. You don’t think I haven’t tried to go legit? It’s hard enough to get a job without a diploma – A harbinger without formal education? No way in hell.”

So that’s what it was.

“So I steal. I don’t do it for fun, just out of necessity. Would it be nice if I didn't have to? Yeah, but it’s impossible for a completely blank slate.”

The whole time Aiden didn't move a muscle as he let their words sink for a moment longer, making sure they were done with what they had to say. Finally, it was his turn. He spoke calmly, slowly, still ruminating on their words as he spoke,

“It’s true,” Well he wasn't going to sugarcoat it for them; life was tough. “What you guys have said isn't completely wrong. I have no way of knowing what walk of life you guys come from nor would I ever know what it’s like to be born into that kind of life but there’s one thing I have to disagree with. You’re far too young to call it quits.”

He held up a hand before they could interrupt.

“What right do I have to say that? At its simplest: experience. You aren't the first ones I've met with a case like this and I've seen enough of the same thing to get a general idea of where you’ll be headed if you keep up with it.” He grimaced, memories of his run-ins with Solstice kindling in the back of his mind. He shook off the thought and took a deep breath. What he was about to say was based off of said past experiences, and he knew the people he worked with in the past would agree he was speaking on behalf of them, but it was difficult to predict how two hostile teenagers were going to take it. What he was about to say next was going to ruffle their feathers.

“Things only become impossible when you give up. And as ironic as it may sound, what you just did today was settle for the easy route. Stealing isn't a necessity, it was your choice. Because simply taking what other people worked hard to earn is simpler than finding a job. And yes I get it, you have a reason for being unable to get a job; but you gave up because no one would take you in. Because being rejected and feared, repeatedly, and having that fear of not being accepted, wears you to exhaustion. To the point you don’t want to try anymore. The want to escape that monster of loneliness that consumes you from the inside fills you with fear. Fear that no matter how hard you search for the people who will take you as you are; you might never find them, that they don’t exist. And that fear blinds you so much that you become desperate. Desperate enough to latch onto the first escape you can find regardless of whether it’s right or wrong. But be it by joining a gang or simply finding a fellow harbinger, you didn't fix the problem; you ran from it. Sure you can say you have friends who understand because they've gone through the same thing, but what good does that do you? Two lost souls don’t make companionship; you’re simply being alone together. The best you can do is lick the others wounds; but you can never save each other. The point is, you gave in to your emotions and settled for the quickest fix, the easiest route. You decided you fell one too many times and decided to stay on the ground. But let me tell you this, it’s only temporary and if you keep running away you’ll never get out of that hellhole. You need to take on the problem at its root…”

Hopefully he didn't make them too angry. And hopefully, in the case either of them WAS seeing red, neither of them had any fire abilities to lash out with. Otherwise Aiden was going to be in for some serious damage.

“How? That’s where I come in. Like I said, I’m not a cop right now. Instead I’m finally doing what I've wanted to do, and that’s working with kids like you to help them get started towards a clean slate; giving second chances. Call it a career change of sorts.”

by **Andrew** Sun Oct 07, 2012 10:54 am

Andrew let out a derisive laugh as the man talked. Did he really think that his cookie cutter speech would work? At least he was leaving it at stealing and not jumping to anything else. Which reminded him, he should probably tell Ceara about that, but he couldn't bring himself to do that; he was too embarrassed over it and didn't want to risk her pitying him.

“How? That’s where I come in. Like I said, I’m not a cop right now. Instead I’m finally doing what I've wanted to do, and that’s working with kids like you to help them get started towards a clean slate; giving second chances. Call it a career change of sorts.”

"You finally done?" he asked, rolling his shoulders to try to relieve some of the tension in his muscles. He had never been this tense for this long before. Usually he was able to run or just had the crap beat out of him by now. "Okay, so you've had your spiel aimed more at my cousin then me, what are you going to try to tell me now? I'll admit to running. I'm good at it. It is my job, however shittily it pays. I don't know how many times I've nearly starved when it would have been easier to steal. You don't have all the story, you don't know shit about either of us, so stop talking like you do, you patronizing bastard."

Wow. This guy was really getting to him. He hadn't meant to let half that slip. At least he hadn't said anything about the stuff he didn't want anyone to know about. Though he was quickly getting to the point of one of his dark mindsets. Wasn't once this month enough for that?

Spoiler:

by **Ceara** Mon Oct 08, 2012 12:33 am

Ceara snorted as the man spoke. That was honestly so cheesy she could barely believe he was serious. Yes, some of the stuff he said was true, very true, but it was stuff she already knew. And had accepted a long time ago. But nothing could change, this was where she was going to be for the rest of her life.

“You finally done? Okay, so you've had your spiel aimed more at my cousin then me, what are you going to try to tell me now? I'll admit to running. I'm good at it. It is my job, however shittily it pays. I don't know how many times I've nearly starved when it would have been easier to steal. You don't have all the story, you don't know shit about either of us, so stop talking like you do, you patronizing bastard."

So Andrew was pretty much on the same page as her. “He’s not just a fellow harbinger; like he said, he’s my cousin, and we’re both pretty damn lucky to have found each other. And I think you’re wasting your fucking time, preaching to people that don’t need or want to be helped. There are so many people in worse situations as us, use your energy to help them instead of lecturing us on how to live our lives. We’re doing just fine.” It wasn’t as if she did it to anyone that couldn’t recover from being pickpocketed; her marks were always people who looked like they were doing well or at least well in comparison to everyone else. Ceara reached out, tugging on her cousin’s arm. “C’mon, I’m tired of listening to this bullshit.”

by AJ Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:21 am

“You finally done? Okay, so you've had your spiel aimed more at my cousin then me, what are you going to try to tell me now? I'll admit to running. I'm good at it. It is my job, however shittily it pays. I don't know how many times I've nearly starved when it would have been easier to steal. You don't have all the story, you don't know shit about either of us, so stop talking like you do, you patronizing bastard."

So they were cousins. Hmm, well that put an interesting twist. Aiden reaaally wanted to let out a scoff of amusement at the boy’s stubbornness to make sure Aiden never had the FULL story (like a child’s tantrum) but for fear that it would make him look more like the “patronizing bastard” that the kid was making him out to be; he held it in. Instead, he turned his attention to his companion, though her previous calm demeanor seemed to have dented a bit as well.

“And you? Seems like this isn’t new knowledge seeing as how you know what you should be doing.”

“He’s not just a fellow harbinger; like he said, he’s my cousin, and we’re both pretty damn lucky to have found each other. And I think you’re wasting your fucking time, preaching to people that don’t need or want to be helped. There are so many people in worse situations as us, use your energy to help them instead of lecturing us on how to live our lives. We’re doing just fine.”

“I see….” If the increasing amount of cussing was any indicator, Aiden had done enough damage for one session; anymore and he would for sure be hit. There was no hope trying to save someone who didn’t want it. The best he could do was let them go and hope that another chance might come around for them in the future.

“C’mon, I’m tired of listening to this bullshit.”

He leaned back on his hands as he watched them pass. So maybe he had his hopes too high, thinking he could instantly change the lives of two kids who only knew a life of living on the streets. But if the couple of years he had over them meant anything, he could say for certain that they hadn’t seen it all yet. There was still more to the streets that they hadn’t seen yet. All he could do for now was leave them with a thin red line in case they ever wanted to come back to his offer.

He gave an all-knowing smile, “Well, if you ever decide to reconsider, come find me. You can call me AJ. Or ask around for a guy named August.”

So close.

by **Andrew** Mon Oct 08, 2012 3:36 pm

“C’mon, I’m tired of listening to this bullshit.”

Andrew nodded, making sure to stay protectively between her and the cop. If the cop thought he was the bigger threat, then good. It meant that it would be easier for Ceara to beat the crap out of him if the need arose. He also pivoted as they walked so he could keep an eye on the man. It meant that Andrew would be walking backwards, but he trusted his cousin to let him know if there was something in the way.

“Well, if you ever decide to reconsider, come find me. You can call me AJ. Or ask around for a guy named August.”

The redhead shook his head. He didn't really expect them to do that, did he? He was nuts if he really thought that.

Once they had turned the corner, Andrew turned forward again. He sighed and shook his head. "Alright, I don't know about you, but I want an ice cream or something. Some kind of dessert." He was just going to pretend that none if this had happened and that there hadn't been some guy pretending to care.

by **Ceara** Mon Oct 08, 2012 4:25 pm

“Well, if you ever decide to reconsider, come find me. You can call me AJ. Or ask around for a guy named August.”

Ceara filed that piece of information away, deep, deep into the back of her mind just in case she suddenly had the urge to be lectured about her way of life some ways down the road. She highly doubted it though. Grabbing Andrew’s arm more firmly this time, she led him away from AJ, making sure he didn’t trip on anything as he walked backwards. They walked out of the alley and turned the corner, and her cousin turned around.

"Alright, I don't know about you, but I want an ice cream or something. Some kind of dessert." She nodded. So they were just going to act as if nothing had happened, huh? Works for her. Though she couldn’t help but look behind her at the alley they just exited for a brief moment, wondering what would’ve happened if she did take the man up on his offer. But she shook her head, turning forward. What he was offering was nothing more than a pipe dream, really.

"Yeah, sure. That sounds nice."

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