melodiesoflife | Who Knows What Evil Lurks In The Hearts Of Men? [Open]

Who: Jack, Tsubomi, and You!
What: Jack and Tsubomi got carte blanche to go after criminals in Aqures Ixen for a Job quest.
When: After the return from the Lunar Gate quest, throughout the month of May.
Where: The rooftops and streets of Aqures Ixen.
Why: That's the question we're all asking ourselves.

Out from the night from the mist steps a figure...

No wait, wrong intro.

It just takes a minute, and you'll feel no pain...

Let's not, that goes bad places.

I am the terror that something something night?

Now you're way off.

What is for certain is that there is one more person prowling Aqures Ixen's rooftops. With the odd job combination of Dragoon and Archer, hiding his identity by dressing in all black light armor, a hood and mask for his face...

...and a really familiar World War II coat floofing over top of it all.

Jack, what the hell are you doing?

He's up here for a purpose instead of just brooding, for once, as he starts to lightly jump across the rooftops, following someone on ground level. There's a wide, excited smile behind that mask as he leaps the distance of an alley. Dragoon is turning out to be exactly as much fun as it looked.

So, if Biggs wants him to give back in a little service to the city in return for it? Fair's fair. Evil-doers beware.

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Sparks simply raises an eyebrow, somehow surprised yet not at the same time.

"Jack. I'd ask if you were out on a joy ride-- er, run, but ya look like I'm about to ground ya for bein' out after yer bedtime. What's goin' on?"

"Ah. Where'd I put-" Jack starts fiddling in the inside pockets of the coat, before he pulls out the request that he'd gotten from Biggs, brandishing it almost like a hall pass. "Biggs asked for help patrolling the streets." See? Not illegal.

"Law's doing it's job just fine, not trying to step on your toes."

Sparks lands Mercury next to Jack, in order to look over the request. Knowing it came from Biggs doesn't really make him feel better about the stepping-on-toes thing. He and Biggs have never gotten along, from the day Sparks walked in to apply for the police force.

"Hnn. Well. I guess that's okay. What's this all about, though? Why you? I mean, why anyone who ain't a cop?"

Jack opens his mouth to speak, then pauses, shakes his head and laughs wryly at himself. "I know an answer, but it's very funny that this is coming out of me."

Jack looks past Sparks, down towards the street. "Specifically the assignment was to keep an eye out for looters. Had an influx since we've got a whole new wave of refugees coming in from Nabila. But if you," Jack specifically points at Sparks, "find someone looting a house? Regardless of why they're doing it, what do you have to do? What's your job?" Jack knows what he thinks the answer is, but instead of assuming, he wants to hear what Sparks thinks it is.

"Gotta arrest 'em. Refugee or not, stealin's stealin'. We're doin' our best to keep 'em all comfortable and on their feet, but robbin' people's houses sure as heck ain't gonna happen."

His eyes narrow at Jack as he thinks on what this might really all be about.

"Whyyyy. What're you doing with 'em?"

Jack actually smiles at Sparks' words. Simple, absolute, and he's completely correct. "You're right. Robbing people's houses isn't going to happen. It's worst because the people who have nothing are most likely to take from people who have very little."

"But if you want to see my answer. Well, an answer cribbed from somebody I used to work with? Then follow me. You don't like my answer, feel free to take them in your way." He glances sideways at Mercury. "You got a stealth mode, there, buddy? How quiet can you be?"

Sparks raises an eyebrow at Jack, very much in a "do you really think I have time for this?" sort of look. No, he doesn't, but he's going to come along anyway, since it sounds more interesting than a normal night of patrols. He hops off of Mercury.

"Yeah, no, I think stealth isn't somethin' you can easily install into a rocket steed. 'S okay though. Head on home, boy, I'll get back to ya later."

After getting a pat on the head, Mercury gladly obeys. Sparks folds his arms and waits for whatever it is Jack has got planned.

"Well? Where to first?"

There's an approving smile, and Jack waves goodbye to the horse. (Still the coolest thing that any of the Heroes brought from home.) "This way." He pulls the mask and hood back on, and heads towards the lower side of town. He hops down off the roofs, to let Sparks follow along easier.

The poorer districts of town have seen less regular reconstruction. A lot has been built back up, but there are some areas where builders decided to destroy what was left before building something new, and the process has been lagging.

Jack hugs the shadows in the side of an alley as they approach a row of houses all crammed next to each other. There we go, the one next to the end. All the lights are off, but there is definitely someone inside there. Jack nods towards it, then lightly Jumps up to the rooftop next door to get a better view. Show-off.

Sparks can keep up with Jack, up until he so deftly jumps on to the roof. The marshal just shoots him a flat look as he climbs up the old fashioned way. His Archer + Chocobo Knight combo didn't really lend itself to leaping across rooftops.

Once he joined him, he squinted through the darkness into that window. He kept his voice as low as possible.

"So? What's this?"

Who Knows What Evil Lurks In The Hearts Of Men? [Open]

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