12 Dick

"Good, now that everyone is introduced I would like you to tell us everything you know.", the boy who called himself Alex said.

"Know? About what?", Alice asked confused. She was still a little muddleheaded since she had just woken up and felt like her brain and heart had switched places.

"We're hunting a thief..."

"Ahh, right! That bastard has stolen my staff!", Alice exclaimed.

When Alice heard the word 'thief', she suddenly remembered what had happened.

"Hey, not so loud! Do you want someone to find our hideout? Anyways, you aren't from Harborton, so tell me everything that happened and what you know about that thief."

"How do you know that I'm not from here?", Alice asked Alex.

"From the start, there aren't many girls that can survive on the streets and I never heard of any redheads like you. Also, no street rat in their right mind would shout like that while being inside someone's hideout! Even if it's not your own, that's just basic courtesy, or do you want the guards to find us?"

"That... makes sense, sorry. Well, I only came here a few days ago and somehow got by. And at some point, a group of kids came to me, beat me up, and told me to disappear without explaining anything. After that, they chased me around for two days until I ran into that thief. He came around the corner, said that the staff looks expensive and punched me in the face. After that, I woke up here."

"Those kids that chased you around, they came probably from the foxes, they are a pretty territorial group and hate outsiders and newcomers. Well, doesn't matter much, what can you tell me about the thief? How did he look? Anything is fine!"

"I... I can't tell you much. I could only see him for a few moments after all before he knocked me out... He had short blonde hair, a little darker than those two. Although it was covered by a red bandanna.", Alice said, pointing at Eric and Gale.

"Urgh, Are you two blind? Can't even see the difference between hair and a bandanna?"

"Hey, I said I couldn't see him clearly! Gardos said he had red hair!", Gale defended himself.

"Yeah, and you agreed with him!", Alex rebuked him.

"He, who is now the idiot?!", Eric grinned.

"Either way, that doesn't matter right now. Could you see any more?"

The other boys instantly stopped their bickering.

"He had blue eyes and was pretty ugly."

"How ugly exactly?", when he asked this question, Alex looked as if he had an idea already.

"He looked like he got punched in the face during midnight."

The boys looked at her confused. For a moment Alice didn't know why then she started explaining herself.

"W-Well, my parents always said that, if you squint your eyes during midnight they will stay like that."

"Pffft!", one of the boys in the back, Jayden, almost couldn't keep himself from laughing from her unintentional joke.

"Urrgh, I think I know who you mean. If it's really Dick, your description is pretty fitting, and in that case its no wonder we couldn't catch him until now. But you are actually pretty attentive if you could see all that. Didn't you say you only saw him for a moment?", Alex wondered.

"Well, I've always got good eyes. But if you know, please tell me who that asshole is that stole my fate!", Alice asked him angrily.

"Your what?"

"My staff, that's the only thing I have from my father!"

"Dick is one of the foxes, the same group that chased you around. I didn't want to believe it, but it seems like its true that he learned a stealth mantra. He was already one of their best thieves and fastest runner, now he is a real annoyance. And sorry for that, but if it really looked expensive, he probably sold your staff already."

"Then I have to buy it back!"

"That's not gonna happen. Even if you can get to the dealer without the foxes finding out, he would ask for more money than you could ever earn in your life. That's if he sells it to you at all."

"But its mine to begin with!"

"And? What do you want to do about it? You are just a little street rat. Just accept it. But if you help us, I at least know someone with a pretty punchable face."

"You want me to help to catch that thief?"

"Yep, and if you are good enough you could even stay here with us, how does that sound to you?"

"Hey, how can you just decide that without asking us?", Jayden asked a little indignant.

"We can't let anyone else have her! Haven't you realized already? Your eyes and ears, you are a mutant, right Alice?", Alex asked excitedly.

"Mutant? Do you mean my ancient blood?"

"That's how you call it? In Harborton, those like you are called mutants. Say, what else do you have besides your eyes? Your mutation even shows up physically, so you must have more than just good eyes, right?"

"If I had to say, everything probably?"

"You mean all five senses?", Gardos asked her with an astounded look on his face.

"Yes, I'm also pretty strong and fast and heal a lot faster than normal people."

"Not bad, not bad at all! Now we can't let a talent like you go at any cost! I guess no one is against this at this point? good! First of all, get some rest for a few days."

"What? Aren't I supposed to help you!?"

"Well, someone seems motivated! But calm down a bit. We still have some time before it gets critical and you joining us might just be the surprise element that we need to catch him. Also, now that we know that it is the foxes doing we can get help from the bears. So until then take a good rest, right now you won't even catch a one-legged dog. Just do your best when the time comes."