Old Habits...

[Ryo]

Ryo had been good lately, so very good. But it was getting harder and harder. The other day he was was watching the flow of people through the markets and there was a man with a wallet just about ready to -fall- out of his pocket... And he hadn't taken it. It had nearly driven him nuts to turn around and walk away, but he did it.

Today, he was watching the crowds go by again but happened to spy a jewelry vendor. He'd seen this particular stall before, it always has a wealth of trinkets that caught his eye. But there was a lovely little necklace sitting front and center. Not too fine, not too thick, and a lovely silver the caught the light just right~

Wait... Oh god, the vendor was turning his back on his jewelery to do something behind him. He could just walk up and take the treasure. Really he could and nobody would be the wiser...

[Otomeken]

A white-haired woman in a chuunin vest was walking down the street, which was far busier than she would have liked it to be.

She had her eyes closed and looked like she was blind. She actually stopped at the jewelery vendor and called him over to one side of his stand, away from the necklaces, and over to the rings. She was studying them by feel, and asking questions about what kind of stones each of them held, since she couldn't see for herself...

[Ryo]

For the love of... Now there was someone distracting the vendor to the other end of the table?! Maybe he could just.. But he promised Oki!

Ryo looked over at the ninja woman who was engaging the vendor. She looked like she was blind, but still a ninja. Maybe.. Just maybe he could get away and then nobody would know. He approached the table cautiously, his eyes darting between the two engaged in conversation and the treasure that was screaming at him to take it. As inconspicuously as he could, he reached out to take the necklace... He was just going to look. That's all. No Plans of running away. Really. Or so he kept trying to convince himself...

[Otomeken]

Otomeken didn't so much as adjust her stance towards the thief, even though based on his heartrate, she knew his intent. She continued to speak with the clerk, and actually keep him reasonably distracted. Of course, outwardly, she gave no indication that she knew the would-be thief was there either...

[Ryo]

This was too perfect and he'd be kicking himself if he didn't take this chance... Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a tiny voice telling him this was a bad idea. That Oki would be very disappointed in him. But it was a thin thread in the back of his mind and by not he could barely register the steps he was taking, instinct overriding any other conscious thought.

He was even faster on his feet since starting his training, the world tunneling around him.

[Otomeken]

What was even crazier, was still... The blind woman, regardless of what she was wearing, just went on asking about the rings. She didn't look over, she didn't grab him, didn't try to stop him, nothing... It seemed to be the perfect crime, so far...

[Ryo]

Ryo ran and ran, checking to see if he was being followed before diving into an alleyway panting heavily. He'd done it? He'd escaped! He hadn't even heard the shopkeeper! He sat down, leaning his back against the brick wall, holding the necklace up in front of his face, just watching the silver sway in his hands and sparkle in the light.

[Otomeken]

There was no one around, and yet, someone spoke. "You breathe so loudly that I could have tracked you in a lightning storm," a woman's voice said, still not giving up her own position...

[Ryo]

The necklace was immediately tucked back into his pocket as Ryo's eyes darted around. Someone was there?! "I.." He gulped, his body almost rigid with tension. "I don't know what you mean.. I'm not supposed to breathe?"

[Otomeken]

There was a slight, humourless, laugh. "Not when you're running from someone who caught you stealing... But I wouldn't worry about that too much. Your heartbeat was enough to give you away, and I wouldn't expect a non-ninja to know how to control that..."

There was a soft thud as boots hit the stone alleyway. It was the white-haired girl, and she had stepped out further down the alley way and was walking towards the kid...

[Ryo]

"I don't know what you mean." Ryo was on his feet in an instant when he finally saw who it was. "I didn't steal anything," this totally wouldn't work but he had to try anyway. Shit, shit, shit... He -had- been caught. f**k, he should have known better! Now he was going to be kicked out of the academy, and arrested, and put in jail... All just for some stupid trinket he had to get his hands on?

He took an involuntary step back as she approached.

[Otomeken]

The chuunin shook her head. "Don't even think about running," she said taking another step. "Now, wanna tell me why you decided that necklace belonged in your pocket and not sale at that stand?"

[Ryo]

"I.. I.." Ryo gulped. Oki was going to be so very angry. "I didn't mean to take it! It just kind of happened..." He stared at the ground, trying not to cry at the thought of what she'd say.

[Otomeken]

Otomeken held out her hand, expecting him to put the necklace into her palm. "And what exactly are we supposed to do about this?" she asked, but her voice didn't sound leiniant...

[Ryo]

Ryo's eyes flicked up briefly to her hand. He hesitated before reluctantly and slowly digging it out of his pocket to give to her. "I dunno..." He shrugged, looking defeated. "You're gonna tell, aren't you?"