If it ain't nailed down....[OPEN]

[Siegfried]

A loud crash echoed throughout the empty halls as an armoire toppled over, splintering its frontal side to pieces. Siegfried noticeably flinched at the thunderous crash, but soon remembered that nobody actually lived in the castle anymore. It was shameful really, since that meant any old scoundrel could just waltz in and claim the goods that had just been left around. It was with this realization that Siegfried had come, so as to loot the place before some other dirty thug could. Noble, right?

With a shrug the armored thief knelt down, reaching through the broken areas of the armoire to pick out its contents and toss them into his trusty bag. The assorted trinkets made distinct “clink” sounds as they landed atop silverware, gilded vases, and other such pieces. There was a sharp bulge from the bag that denoted the presence of a painting. Art always had value to someone. Many of the statues and portraits were too large to transfer out in one go, but there were just as many smaller pieces laying about.

Returning to his feet, Siegfried moved back into the hall and made his way to another door.

[Princess Garnet]

Garnet decided to come back to the castle,not because she wanted anything it was because this was her true home.She didn't have a choice but to move to the capital and become a resident,there was nothing here for her now except for broken memories of what once was.She came up to one of the gates,glancing up to see a window broken.Had thieves come and gone,it was no surprise.

"I wonder if they even bothered to leave anything".

Pushing the gate open,she glanced back and shook her head before proceeding in.A wasteland,that's what she would call it.Coming up to the door she pushed it open,this one led into the knight's of Pluto's room.At least she remembered the castle well enough,closing the door behind her she walked through the room then headed out and towards the stairs that led up to the chambers.

[Siegfried]

Siegfried was about to enter yet another room when he heard something creak somewhere in the castle. Something big and loud. Pausing, he shot a glance out the window. Funny, I recall hopping the wall to get in. So why is the gate open....? He silently made for the stairs at the far end of the hall so as to get a better glimpse of things. At the foot of the stairway, however, he heard footsteps coming up. Ack! Not good! Caught offguard, he looked about for a place to hide in a flustered manner. He finally dove through a nearby door, where he had already conducted his business. He thought he had seen someone out of the corner of his good eye. Had they seen him as well?

[Princess Garnet]

Garnet stopped quickly,seeing something dart into a nearby room.What was that a monster,creature or maybe a thief.She decided to trek with more cautious steps,going up the stairs she again stopped at the top and looked around.Right at the momment she had no weapon,it was in her old bedroom and so was the royal pendant to prove she was the princess.

"Calm down,it was probably just a mouse or something".

Going over to the royal chambers she saw some rubble that had fallen from the ceiling,so this was why she couldn't get out before.Looking around she found a small hole,getting on her hands and knees she looked to see how big it was and if she could squeeze through.

"I got to squeeze through there".

[Siegfried]

Just recovering from his dive, Siegfried heard the footsteps continue to grow louder. This place had been a bedroom at one point, and a rather ritzy one at that. As far as hiding opportunity went it could certainly be worse. He took a quick glance of the entirety of the space, hoping to find a safe spot within the few seconds he had. Whilst scanning about he saw something he had not before; a single pendant upon the ground. Was that there the whole time?

Before he could go for it, he was reminded of the newcomer by some scuffing noises at his back. Without a second thought he hurled his back atop the wardrobe and rolled under the bed. With any hope neither he nor his loot would be seen.

[Princess Garnet]

Crawling throught the hole she just made it through,standing up and brushing her knees off she looked around her room.Dust had covered alot of her things,and it seemed really lonely.Shaking her head her eyes upon the pendant,so it was still here oh she was so relieved.Going over to pick it up,she glanced over to the bed thinking she saw something.

"Is someone here,c....come out".

Putting the pendant on around her neck,she wondered where her old staff was.It was so dim in here it was hard to see things,it was then she spotted it beside the wardrobe.Running over she grabbed it,brushing all the dust off of it and held it close.

"If someone is here,I won't be afraid to use this".

[Siegfried]

Siegfried observed the dainty pair of feet as they entered, strolling across the room. He cursed inwardly as the figure (who was obviously a girl) picked up the pendant. Not that it won’t be hard getting it back. She would be lucky to weigh 100 lbs. When wet. However, much to his surprise, the girl addressed him directly. Well, more or less. If anything it called out an intruder she couldn’t necessarily see. With a sort of “why not?” shrug, he went into action.

The thief rolled back out just as he had entered, but with more speed behind it. In mid-roll he pushed off with his hands, so that he was performing a sort of midair barrel roll. With that velocity behind him he reached out with one arm, hoping to grip at the pendant and, if possible, rip it away from her neck.

That's right, all treasure is MINE!

[Princess Garnet]

"NO not my royal pendant".

She tryed to dodge the thief but couldn't,and found her pendant being ripped right off her neck.No she couldn't lose it,that pendant was all she had left of her royal birthright and of her status in this now crumbling castle.Garnet was not about to let a thief take her most precious item,no way it was hers and not his.

"That is mine,give it back you cretien".

With a swing of her staff,she brought it to the side of the thiefs head.Then reached out trying to get her pendant from his grasp,he could have anything else in the castle but she wanted that the most and couldn't bare the thought of losing it again.

[Siegfried]

Siegfried felt a surge of success as he pulled the pendant away from the girl. Now all he would have to do is make a cool stance, say a couple of badass lines, take his bag and leave the place in victory. However, it seemed that fate disagreed with this, for he instead found himself taking a load of staff in the temple.

Dropping the pendant, he staggered away with a hand on his helmeted head. A stick? She hit me with a freaking stick!? He had heard her threat to use a weapon, but had been expecting some awkward teen clumsily gripping a knife. There would be no problems with someone like that using a polearm though. As soon as things stopped shaking he regained his composure, pulling his firearm from its leather holster at his side and aiming it at the meddling kid.

“Don’t move, and don’t try that again unless you want to wash your mouth with a fistful of brass.”

The weapon itself was rusty, unpolished, and tended to jam on occasion. The armed forces back at the Capital had guns at least eight times as good. But it was still a dangerous weapon, and its high rate of fire meant that aim wasn’t much of an issue. Still, he felt a little uncool at having to aim it at some girl.

[Princess Garnet]

She saw him drop her pendant and went to grab it,but stopped dead when she heard his words.Down on one knee and hand outstretched,Garnet looked over to the person and just froze.All she wanted was her weapon and pendant then leave,out of all the valueables in the castle why was he so anxious to have her royal pendant it would be useless to him.

"I am not afraid,that pendant means alot to me please take anything else but that".

Her voice sounded desperate,and had a hint of begging in there.She could summon but she would destroy the only place she had called home for so long,and to lose Alexandria castle would devastate her more then anything.If she made for her pendant he would act,and if she summoned both of them would get hurt in the process.

[Siegfried]

A smirk formed under Siegfried’s helmet. Though he had lost his dignity for about three seconds, it seemed that he was back to normal now. He was still pissed that he had to whip out a weapon just to intimidate some kid, but that would fade as soon as he got his hands back on the goods. He approached, keeping the gun trained on her at all times. He slowly nudged her arm away from the pendant, then bent down himself and picked it up. He ran his gaze over it, noting its craftsmanship. A smaller piece of art, yet one that might sell well. But not for the effort that was going into its retrieval.

With his gun still trained on her, Siegfried’s one-eyed gaze shifted back to the girl. He dangled the pendant out before her, though he would pull it back if she just reached out for it. “This pendant....what is it to you?”

[Princess Garnet]

"Ah.......HEY that wasn't nice".

Not having the best balance at the momment,she fell back on her butt.Okay this guy was really ticking her off,and she really wanted to blast him to the moon or somewhere else at the momment just to make him pay for treating a princess like some little kid.Frowning she pointed the staff foreward,but she was a white mage oh curse herself for not learning black magic.

"That pendant is my royal birthright,and I want it back.If you think I will let you just waltz out of here with it,your sadly mistaken".

[Siegfried]

The answer that Siegfried had gotten was not the expected one. He had anticipated some sappy story about how her dying grandmother had given it to her or something. Instead, however, he learned that he was effectively holding a certificate of authenticity for rulership. So did that mean that this kid was royalty? Come to think of it, she looks kinda like a few of the paintings.... With a sigh he got to his feet, still dangling the pendant.

“You know, I’m sure something like this would sell for quite a bit when I tell them it came from royal blood. You think you could stop me from just leaving? Think you could take down the big bad Siegfried with that stick there?” He withdrew the item of interest, relaxing his trigger finger but still keeping the weapon trained. “Listen, I am the greatest thief on this side of the Lete Riv-“ There was a momentary pause. “This side of the Capital. If you want this thing back, make it worth my while.” He began pacing the room by this point. The gun was still ready, but the girl was now on his right side. She had no way of knowing that his right eye didn’t function. “If you’re legitimate nobility, then I’m sure you have something much better to exchange, right?”

[Princess Garnet]

"I am a summoner,this stick is a staff".

She couldn't use Bahamut but maybe a eidilon that did less damage,but which one.But not yet she would summon when she needed it the most,and hoped her magic and eidilons we're still with her otherwise she would look like a complete idiot.Standing up and brushing herself off again,she narrowed her eyes at Siegfried well at least she knew his name.

"I know a even greater thief,better then you".

Who she kinda wished was here right now,but she had learned not to hide behind anyone anymore and take responseability for things that came her way.But onto the other matter at hand,what could she possibly trade that was worth more then her pendant then it struck her some things she had gotten from the auction with Zidane and the others.

"I will trade you the griffin's heart,and Une's mirror I have".

[Siegfried]

Siegfried quirked an eyebrow at the counteroffer, though this would go unnoticed under his helmet. Griffon’s heart? Who’s mirror? They.....sounded valuable. Unless the girl was trying to stick him with the organ from an avian beast and some polished glass he didn’t see how this could go wrong. But in the interest of his rep he had to play it off.

“Well, those certainly SOUND interesting. Any chance I could see these things before I just blindly agree to deals? Getting conned is a small peeve of mine, you see....” He doubted that she would actually try to rip him over something she valued so highly, but attacking a person’s integrity was the best way to confirm it. He thought so, anyway.