causing trouble wherever he goes...

[constantprisoner]

[A; Shenanigans!]

Prior to his descent into infamy, Sirius Black had a very different reputation, most notably at school. Along with his friends, he was known for being a rather excellent prankster. No one was safe from the stunts that they pulled, and most of the time they were harmless, and meant in good fun. (Except for the one time they weren't but that's another story). That kind of behavior wouldn't go over well where Sirius had spent the last decade, and so it had been a good, long while since Sirius had last pulled a prank.

And now that he was getting comfortable in his freedom, his thoughts turned to that time and he feels he has to do something.

It's not the most complex prank, but it is an effective one, and a classic at that.

He'd gotten hold of a pound and some glue, and stuck the coin in the middle of the sidewalk. And was now sitting in a nearby alley, laughing to himself at those who would stop to try and take it.

[B; Let's Heist!]

Talking to Cooper had gotten Sirius thinking about his old motorbike.

He had no way of knowing what had happened to it. If his friends had taken it and were keeping it for him or if it had been sold or if, god forbid, someone had junked it. He really didn't know, and he was reluctant to contact anyone from his old life just yet. Mostly because he was scared of their reaction. He'd hate to reach out only to find himself back where he started.

But there was a place to start.

Which is why, as the sun is setting, Sirius approaches an old garage. It's gotten a bit run down as the years passed, but he'd worked hard here and he'd liked it. He wished he could be returning in better circumstances. All he was planning to do was have a look around, see if he could find the bike or any sign of it. He didn't expect to find anything, but it would be better than doing nothing or just wondering.

He waits until the place has closed, the employees gone for the night before sneaking over, constantly checking to make sure he's alone. It would be smarter to do this as a dog, but at the same time, he has to look in windows and maybe hop the fence of the lot to check there. It's a bit hard to do some of that without opposable thumbs.

Sirius climbs unsteadily on top of some garbage cans to try and look inside. He's balanced precariously as he pulls himself up. Not much has changed inside, but with the light out it's really hard to tell what's in there. Not that he has long to look as the garbage can gives out, and he falls with a clang and a yelp!

And now he's pressed against the wall, praying that no one heard that.

Comments

A

[necromancynow]

Not long afterward, a pale-looking man in a doctor's coat came by, a plastic grocery bag in one hand. He looked peaked, to be quite honest, but when he spotted the coin on the sidewalk, he brightened a bit. "What's this? Someone's dropped a coin, I think..."

He bent down to pick it up; his fingers scrabbled right off it. Puzzled but figuring that he'd simply misjudged the distance, he tried again.

[constantprisoner]

From his hiding place, Sirius is doing his best not to laugh. Considering how old this trick is and the amount offered, he hadn't really expected anyone to go for it.

But sometimes you just had to appreciate the classics.

[necromancynow]

Again his fingers slipped off the coin. Faust frowned and bent down; had it been here for a while? Maybe stuck to the pavement with grime? But no, it was stuck fast.

Somehow, bafflingly, it appeared to be stuck to the sidewalk. Maybe with some kind of glue. But why would anyone do such a thing? He looked around suspiciously, as if the culprit might still be on the scene somewhere.

[constantprisoner]

Sirius might be peaking out from the alley, trying his best to look innocent and curious and failing miserably. Of course when he sees Faust looking around, he'll go back to hiding. Or at least, move back behind the wall.

[necromancynow]

"Are you filming this?" Faust demanded, seemingly of the empty air. "Or just watching for your own enjoyment? You think you can stop me -- you think you can laugh at me behind my back! But you're wrong, you're dead wrong!"

The unintentional pun struck Faust as hilarious; he laughed wildly before scrabbling at the coin some more. "Enjoy it! Enjoy it, then, while you can! You'll pay. You'll all pay!"

Now he was ranting for real, working himself up into a fine lather. (Clearly he was not in on this joke.)

[constantprisoner]

At first it had been hilarious, but now Sirius was just a little bit worried, especially as the man started raving. He'd had a prank go too far before, but this one kind of took the cake. After all, it was just a pound glued to the sidewalk.

He wasn't laughing now, trying to determine what his next step should be.

[necromancynow]

This exertion seemed to have exhausted Faust; he slumped over for a bit, muttering under his breath. He looked like he was slightly unhinged (and he was), but what he was really doing was placing a minor hex on the coin. Namely, attaching bad luck to whosoever actually managed to pick the thing up. Probably the owner, but maybe just some poor schmuck.

Misery loved company, after all.

[constantprisoner]

Normally, Sirius would have remained hidden, but he figured he at least owed it to the guy to check on him, so he steps out from his hiding place. Hopefully, he's acting relatively natural, as if he'd just walked up the street.

"Are you okay?"

[necromancynow]

Faust's attention snapped back into place at the appearance of this new variable. He straightened.

"Okay? Yes. Of course. And you are?" His grocery bag hung loosely from one hand, now mostly forgotten.

[constantprisoner]

"Just a concerned stranger. You were kind of slumped over there, and I just wanted to check."

But it seemed like everything was mostly alright.

[necromancynow]

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just a condition I have. Fits, you know." It was unclear from Faust's manner if this was the truth or not. Certainly it seemed like it could be true; he wasn't looking too great.

"It's not so often that a stranger is concerned about me..." Cue a measuring look, as if trying to decide something about Sirius.

[constantprisoner]

Sirius wasn't one to question it, and if it was the truth, had to admit he felt a little guilty for possibly bringing it on. Not that he would outright admit it.

"Well, it's only the right thing to do," Sirius shrugs, and he could use a little good karma.

[necromancynow]

"Yes... yes, of course. Thank you." What a weirdo. In any case, Faust slipped his hand in his pocket and removed a small business card, which he handed to Sirius.

"My card. If you should ever need someone to check up on you." If Sirius should ever find himself the victim of a magical curse, for instance. The card listed a medical clinic and its address, as well as the name of the physician running it: one Johann Faust.

B

[acrookedchild]

Walking around at night? Not always the best idea. Especially for her. Abby knows that all too well. Still, it's not like this is a bad neighbourhood. Plus she has her keys out, each one between two of her fingers to make an effective weapon against anyone who attacks her. Plus -- just to be safe -- she has a silver necklace and a silver bracelet on. Just to discourage supernatural attackers as well.

At the sound of the clattering... Well. It's probably a stupid reaction, but she hurries over to where it came from. When she sees someone there, well. She doesn't stop to ask herself what he might have been doing. Instead, with all sincerity, she asks a question.

"Are you okay?"

[constantprisoner]

"Fine," Sirius replies automatically, before mentally cursing. He hadn't meant to respond. He hadn't meant for anyone to find him. Although, someone asking if he was alright was better than someone arresting him or screaming in terror.

And he's pretty sure he's fine. Just a few bumps and bruises but he can live through those. He goes to stand up and see exactly who's speaking to him. And it's someone he knows, though he's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing at this point.

[acrookedchild]

"What were you doing?"

Not, perhaps, the most judicious question to ask. After all, someone skulking about at night probably shouldn't be asked something like that. But she doesn't let herself worry about that. Which, yes, might be a little stupid.

[constantprisoner]

"Sounds silly, but I was trying to get a look inside," Sirius admits. Granted the lights had been off so finding what he was looking for was unlikely.

"Not to break in or anything," he adds hastily, not wanting to give the wrong impression. "Just, wanted to check on some things."

[acrookedchild]

"A look inside?" It sounds odd, but, well. She grew up in a haunted house, raised by a fae. There's not a whole lot that she won't believe, really. Still, someone might be trying to break into the place. Of course no one would admit if that was their plan.

"Why? What's in there?"

[constantprisoner]

"I hoping something that belonged to me, a motorcycle. But I didn't really get a good look and the light's off anyway."

He'd have to come up with a plan B. The only reason why he wasn't attempting this during the day was because he didn't want to cause any more trouble. The last thing they needed was a wanted criminal showing up on their doorstep asking if they had his old motorcycle. Somehow, Sirius didn't think that would go over well.

[acrookedchild]

Abigail looked at him, then at the window, and she shook her head.

"Well, your first mistake is using bins. Something like that? Never going to support your weight." Okay, so she might only know because of using things to peer into windows of her house when her parents were elsewhere. It had been a game, listening at doors to her father's business meetings or trying to watch whatever rituals they and Unthank concocted. All things that were meant to be 'for adults only.' "Crates are better. More balance."

After all, he wasn't trying to break in. That she couldn't help with. He just wanted a look in.

[constantprisoner]

"Fair point. I was just trying to be quick about it," Sirius replies. Though he does glance around.

"You don't happen to see any crates, do you?"

He wouldn't mind a better look, than the brief glance he'd had before falling.

[acrookedchild]

"Not... right away. No."

She looks around, frowning a bit as she does. Because, well. Crates were a good suggestion, she'll hold to that, but... There aren't any. Not immediately visible.

[constantprisoner]

He hadn't really been expecting there to be any, having looked around himself.

"Thanks anyway. I'll have to come back with my own."

[acrookedchild]

"Why not just call them and ask about the bike?"

It seems like the simplest thing to do in her opinion.

[constantprisoner]

That would be the smart thing to do. However, doing the smart thing is not exactly something Sirius is known for.

"I wouldn't want to cause trouble for them. We didn't exactly part under the best circumstances. I used to work here."