All Paths Lead To Rome - [locked to dream_departed]

[_megaman_x]

X quickly glanced around to orient himself after Aya had PINpointed them to a world in the era of the ancient Roman empire. They'd arrived in the shadow of a masonry archway. A few people were hurrying along the passageway toward where sunlight shone into the arched and columned structure. Outside, X could hear the sounds of a huge crowd getting

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[_megaman_x]

"No, it's okay. I've got this." X smiled and then approached the counter as he pulled out his wallet pouch.

"How much for the set of pins again?" X asked the vendor. The man stated a price and X began digging out the coins.

[dream_departed]

Aya pouted at X.

A young thief who saw the coins Aya was displaying rushes up and attempts to take her coin purse. Aya trips him and the smudged young thief tumbles to the ground.

[_megaman_x]

X caught the commotion out of the corner of his eye. He dropped the coins he'd counted out onto the counter and spun to face Aya and the fallen would-be thief.

Before the thief could scramble to his feet and bolt, X stepped forward and grabbed him by the shoulder. He hauled the thief to his feet. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

[dream_departed]

Aya noticed angry looking men in armor coming there way. She wasn't sure what the punishment for theft was in ancient Rome, but suspected it was brutal

"Don't hurt him!" she belatedly remembered to add, "Master."

For the benefit of the men carrying the pointy weapons she added, "He's just... my cousin... playing a prank."

[_megaman_x]

X glanced quickly at Aya after she said that. Even the teenage thief he still held onto looked a little bewildered for a moment before nodding vigorously in agreement.

"Her cousin, sir. Was just playing."

X gave the thief a look that shut him up fast. "I'll deal with you two later." Then he directed his attention to the two Roman vigiles, or watchmen, who'd arrived.

"Is there a problem here, citizen?" The older-looking watchman addressed X.

"No. The excitement of the day has caused some foolishness." He cast a disapproving look over the teen and Aya before turning back to the vigiles. "I'll deal with them myself."

The two watchmen looked from the youth to Aya and then back to X. The older of the two spoke up again. "See that you do. And perhaps you shouldn't take them out to Festival again until they're better trained."

X inclined his head in a nod. "Of course."

The lead watchman nodded and motioned to his partner to accompany him. "Carry on, citizen," he spoke in parting before the two vigiles continued on their

[dream_departed]

Aya smiled bashfully at the nice, heavily armed men as they walked away. She followed a step behind X back toward to the booth.

"Don't worry," she whispered to the thief. "My master is very kind."

The thief looked at like she was insane. Luckily, she was used to that.

[_megaman_x]

X repressed a sigh. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the would-be thief now. He couldn't hand him over to the watch. But he was reluctant to just let him go.

At least he'd managed to deal with the watchmen without causing a scene - or Aya getting in trouble with the watch for covering for a thief. Now he had to make sure the youth didn't bolt if he let him go.

Before X stepped up to the booth again, he turned the young thief to push him to Aya. "Make sure your cousin doesn't get lost again." He spoke a bit harshly and commandingly for the benefit of any onlookers. Aya had tripped the thief readily enough before, hopefully she'd be able to hang onto him and make sure he didn't bolt while X finished paying.

X quickly finished paying for the package, then tucked it into his tunic. X then turned to lead the two of them out of the thoroughfare of the marketplace and into a more secluded side street.

[dream_departed]

The tone of voice made Aya cower. Maybe since X was in law enforcement he didn't like her covering for a thief? Oops. She promised herself she would be on her best behavior for the rest of the trip.

She draped her arms around the thief. He jumped inside her embrace and tried to pull away, but she held his wrist in such a way that made him yelp in pain when he pulled to far. Big brothers that taught self-defense tricks were the best. She smiled sweetly at the thief. He looked back her with an expression of grim resignation.

She and the thief followed X in silence.

[_megaman_x]

X led them down the quieter side street and then turned onto another cross street. He really wasn't sure what to do with the thief. He wasn't particularly inclined to just hand him over to the local watch. Punishments for theft were very harsh for slaves, and this teen was probably a slave. If he was arrested for theft, the punishment would probably be mutilation or even death.

Even if he had wanted to just hand the thief over to the watch, Aya's intervention had put her at risk of being caught and punished for covering for the thief. As much as he didn't want to let the thief get off scott-free, he also didn't want him punished so harshly. Which meant now they had to figure out what to do with this young, rather incompetent, would-be thief.

Once they had gone a ways down the cross street and out of earshot of anyone else, X stopped and turned around.

"You are an idiot." X growled out in his best 'commanding officer giving a moron a dressing down' tone of voice and demeanor as he stalked up to the thief. "What on Earth

[dream_departed]

Aya was shocked to see X hit the boy. She tried to put herself been X and the thief. The boy took the opportunity to try to run off.

[_megaman_x]

X stepped back in surprise as Aya suddenly interposed between him and the teen.

"Aya, what-" X broke off and started slightly as the thief bolted. X let him go though, and instead turned to Aya in confusion. He wasn't sure why she'd intervened suddenly.

[dream_departed]

"You hit him. You shouldn't hit him." Aya knew many killers, but most of them tried not to be violent in front of her. The violence she had seen and done made her more sensitive about it. "You can't do that." You're too good for that.

[_megaman_x]

X blinked. She thought...

"Aya... I didn't hurt him. I was very careful with how much force I used. It was just a light cuff to emphasize my point about the punishment he could have faced."

He shook his head slightly. "I wouldn't have hurt him, Aya. I wanted him to think about what could happen to him if he tries to steal again."

X sighed softly. He hadn't meant to upset Aya by trying to scare the teen away from future thievery. "I'm sorry I upset you with how I handled that, Aya."

[dream_departed]

Aya stared at X silently for a few moments. She lowered her head, ashamed.

"No. I'm sorry. I overreacted."

[_megaman_x]

"Hey." X reached out to put a hand lightly on her shoulder. "No harm done, right?"

[dream_departed]

"Except that the boy got away," she mumbled.

She put on a smile. "What part of the festival would you like to see next?" she asked, hoping that X wouldn't want to go home because she messed up.