Anything in italics is action text, which means that something's either happening of someone or a setting is being described.

 

Person: Text is the format I use to show that a character is saying something

 

Chapter 5: Stolen!

 

Oscar and Rook walk through Lecithin.  Oscar is covered in bandages.

 

Rook: You fought well for your first battle.

 

Oscar: Yeah, but if it wasn't for the ability of these gloves, I would have never won.

 

Rook: Ah, yes.  The Gloves of Tenshirou.  One of the rarest items in the game, with the ability to give any attack the power to tear through any substance in the game, be it weapon, armor, or person.

 

Oscar: Yeah, no wonder they're so valuable.

 

Rook: Watch out, though, they have a drawback: It makes the attack much more draining on you then it normally would be.  Use the glove to much and you'll find yourself exhausted, without the energy to even defend yourself.

 

Oscar: I noticed...I didn't even have the energy to keep standing when I use it.

 

Rook: You know, the Militia could use a guy with that kind of power.  Raise yourself just a few levels and I'm sure the Militia would jump on the chance to get you to join.

 

Oscar: No thanks.  I appreciate the offer, but I'd never be able to deal with all those regulations.  This game is meant to be for fun, right?  Once I'm strong enough, I'm just going to leave the city and adventure around.  Even if get killed and lose my chance at the prize, at least I had fun first, right?

 

Rook: Every player has there own way to play the game.  If that's what you want to do, go for it.

 

Oscar: Yeah, adventuring sounds like a lot of fun!  I can't wait.

 

A figure is seen watching them from the rooftop of a building.

 

Figure: So there's the guy with the Tenshirou gloves.  Looks like an easy target.  The Militiaman might prove troublesome, though, better take him out right off the bat.

 

Rook and Oscar are walking by various merchants.

 

Oscar: So what do you want to show me, exactly?

 

Rook: I think I saw some good equipment for a starter in hand-to-hand fighting in this general area.  Which NPC was selling it again...?

 

He scratches his head confusingly, then suddenly pauses and wobbles unsteadily.

 

Oscar: Uh...Rook?

 

Rook falls backwards, sleeping and snoring heavily.

 

Oscar: What the-?  This is an odd time to take a nap, Rook!  Huh?

 

He notices needles sticking out of Rook's neck.

Oscar: Those are...

 

A woman jumps out in front of him, separating him from Rook.  The woman is slender is and attractive despite her tomboyish appearance.  Her hair is short and brown, and she wears no make-up, though it's obviously not necessary.  She wears a khaki shirt and pants.

 

Woman: Hi-ya.

 

Oscar: What'd you do to Rook!

 

Woman: Militiamen work so hard for the sake of a fair game.  I only thought it was time for him to take a well deserved break, don't you agree?

 

She takes a step towards Oscar, and Oscar steps backwards and raises his fists.

 

Oscar: Stay back!  I'm warning you!

 

Woman: Now, now, such an aggressive statement.  You're going to make me feel unloved.

 

Oscar: What do you want?

 

Woman: Fine, I can cut to the chase.   I'm relieving you of your gloves.  Hand them over.

 

Oscar: What!  No way!

 

Woman: Oh, dear, I seem to have left you with the wrong impression.  You actually believe you have a choice in the matter.

 

She pulls a few needles from a satchel attached to her pants and holds them in front of her.

 

Oscar: You want these gloves so badly, I'll show them to you up close!

 

Woman: So you'd hit a lady?  How uncouth.

 

Oscar: Sh-Shut up!  I'll take you out in a single blow!

 

Oscar charges forward at her, his hand outstretched like a claw.

 

Oscar: Tenshirou Moon!

 

His hand is absorbed into the glowing red attack, but stops short, an inch in front of the woman's face.

 

Oscar: What the-?  I...can't move...

 

The attack fades, and Oscar looks to see that the woman had stabbed the side of his arm with one of her needles just before his attack had hit her.

 

Oscar: What ... what did you do?

 

Woman: Minor paralysis.  It'll wear off in about a minute, don't worry.  But it gives me the time to take this.

 

She takes his gloves off his hands.  Oscar sweats nervously.

 

Woman: Don't worry, I'm a thief, not an assassin.  I have no intention of killing you or your little militia buddy.

 

She hears the noise of more members of the Militia running through the alley towards them.

 

Woman: Well, guess that's my cue to leave.  Until next we meet, later.

 

She jumps up, bouncing off a merchant's stand, onto a pole, and then onto a roof, disappearing from view.

 

A few members of the Militia run into the area, including Katherine.

 

Katherine: Oh darn, looks like she got away again.  I swear, the nerve of some people, always escaping.  Don't they release how hard that makes my job?

 

She looks at Oscar, who is still standing in a frozen position.

 

Katherine: What are you doing, playing freeze tag?

 

Oscar: I'm paralyzed, that stupid thief did this to me.

 

Katherine: Oh, I see...

 

She looks down and sees Rook lying, obviously asleep, snoring loudly.

 

Katherine: Oh, no, Mr. Rook!  He's dead!  Poor Rook, all he wanted to do was help people, why do the good die young!

 

She mourns over him, grabbing his head and shaking it violently back and forth.

 

Rook: Ow, ow, ow!  What are you doing!?

 

Katherine: Oh, never mind.

She drops his head suddenly and his face hits the ground hard.

 

Rook: Ow!  Katherine, what the hell!?

 

Katherine: Don't yell at me!  How dare you scare me like that?  I thought you were dead!

 

Rook: What happened?

 

Oscar starts slowing moving from his paralyzed state.  He moves his arm back and forth to test it.

 

Oscar: I got mugged.  This thief put you to sleep, paralyzed me, then ran off with my gloves.

 

Katherine: Not just any thief, you got mugged by Melanie, the Eagle.  It really is quite an honor, when you think about it.  She's the most notorious thief in this entire region, and only goes after important targets.  Whatever you had must have been very valuable.

 

Rook gets up from the ground and dusts himself off.

 

Rook: Don't talk about her like that!  She's just a damn thief, not even the best one, I've come across far better.  She's just made a name for herself cause she likes to make a fool out of us Militia as she robs.  I suspect she's going to go around bragging about how she stole from a player right in front of me, damnit.

 

Katherine: Now, now, Mr. Rook.  You shouldn't get all worked up.  You now how you get when you're worked up.

 

Rook: Yeah, yeah, you're right.

 

Oscar: So what now?

 

Rook: Probably nothing.  If the Militia ever gets their hands on her and she still has the gloves I'll see to it that they're returned to you.  They'll probably be pawned off by that time, though.  I'm sorry, kid.  I know you went through a lot of trouble to keep those gloves.

 

Katherine: Come on, Mr. Rook, we have paperwork to fill out.

 

She begins pushing Rook away.

 

Rook: Oh, wonderful...

 

Oscar looks at his bare hands.

 

Oscar: Damnit, those gloves are mine, and there's no way I'm losing them now!

He looks up at the roof he saw Melanie escape onto.

 

Oscar: I'm coming after you!