Mission Objective: Hippo's [open]

[Deathy]

The mall was loud, people swirled around in a huge rolling mass, colors of all types streaked by heading for various different places that were just as colorful as they were.
Jane smiled, this was the way she liked it, right in the middle of everything!
But she did have a mission her today, a top secret one, and if any one found out about it she would die.
Shoving her hands deeper into her pockets Jane weaved her way in and around the shoppers and made a bee line for her mission.
Her mission was a toy shop, filled with screaming kids and distressed parents.
Walking in she went straight for isle no. 4, teddies, or specifically hippos.
Jane loved hippos, for some reason she just thought they were cutest thing every to turn up on the planet, and she a toy collection of them.
Today’s mission was to expand that by one…or maybe two…

[RacingBelle]

I shook my head a little side to side and rubbed my ears. I hated being in places so crowded and loud! So why are you in here? A little voice in my head chimed. Shut up! I told it. Truth was I didn't know why I was here, I just knew I was wandering and my feet brought me to this place.

Pretty soon my feet brought me to a toy store. I shouldered my way past a stressed parent holding a crying kid's hand. Ashleigh your going to get yourself in trouble. Big-trouble. That little voice warned. I kept walking. Then I watched as a suspicious looking woman weaved her way in and out, like she wanted to be seen but only to blend in with the crowd. I cocked my head and followed. This woman didn't smell like a shifter. Perhaps she was some other kind of Supernatural...or maybe not. She could be a mere human up to some trouble. I was tempted to cause some mayhem myself but I was in enough trouble just being myself. After all I was a Supernatural, a shifter. I could turn into a grey thoroughbred mare. I smiled. Horses were my favorite animal and I just happened to be one, half of my brain always thinking like one.

"Hey there. What are you gonna do?" I confronted the woman. She was older than I but did that really matter? I thought not. Jisa was older than me and we were...sorta friends.

[Deathy]

Jane looked at the girl who had come up behind her. She turned slowly around to face the girl, putting the hippo she had in her hand behind her back were the girl wouldn’t be able to see it.
What am I gonna do? Jane asked, watching the girl to see if she’d noticed the hippo Not a lot Jane lied I’m getting a present for my nephew
Jane looked around Is your mum around here somewhere? she asked hoping the girl would go away Are you lost?
don’t look at the hippo, don’t look at the hippo, don’t look at the hippo… she thought, smile frozen on her face.

[RacingBelle]

I snorted. "Yeah I doubt it. Your stealing that aren't you?" I motioned to the shelf that held the hippos and the hippo behind her back. "I'm not stupid. Putting it behind your back is pointless, besides it only confirms that your doing something your not suppose to." I gave her that unblinking, knowing glare, it usually crept people out. Then I smirked and blinked, refocusing my eyes. I continued to stare at her. "My mom isn't anywhere near...she's out of town. Besides I think I'm old enough to take care of myself. So that means I'm not lost!" I said fiercely. I know I was lying..well not exactly. I do count myself old enough to take care of myself and my parents, well, they didn't live in this town so you could count that as out of town and never coming back. I suppose. "I'd stop smiling, if I were you. Your caught red handed. As I told you", I said with yet a more knowing glare, "I'm not stupid." My smirk only got wider and wider. I think this was a little fun. Maybe. I almost laughed but held it in.

[Deathy]

Jane’s mouth fell open Kid she said If I was stealing you wouldn’t even have seen me Jane pulled the hippo in front of her so much for nobody finding out about this embarrassing obsession
Jane raised her eyebrow at the girl when she started staring at her How odes it confirm my guilt huh? I might just be embarrassed about people finding me here? Ever think of that?
Jane’s smile kept getting bigger as the kid rambled on, Jane remembered when she’d been like that, full of confidence and self belief no wait, she thought take a rain check, I still am
No you just look it! Jane said, grinning at her joke. All the while something was nagging her at the back of her mind, something about this kid, was well, off. She looked normal, smelled normal and acted normal, but something just wasn’t right…

[RacingBelle]

"Sure alright. I believe you, not that I really care. I was just you know wondering. But if your embarrassed big deal. People teased me with my obsession with horses...at school. You shouldn't be embarrassed if you really like something." I shrugged. Alright I was wrong. So what, big deal. Though it would have been fun if she was stealing, to see her caught red handed. Not that I would have done anything. It was best, if you were a Supernatural, not to draw any attention on you. If you did, more than likely, the EF would be on your tail before you could blink. "Oh and about me not seeing, if you we stealing, I doubt it, really." That I was almost positive about. My senses were more acute than any human's. After all us shifters were part animal, and that was the reason why. My smirked was still on my face but it was toned down. I stopped glaring at her and looked around briefly, to make sure no one was looking at us too closely. My senses were on high alert once more. Something wasn't right. I got that feeling that I did whenever the EF were close but I didn't see anyone who looked like they were the EF. Besides they traveled in packs, almost like wolves. Just one couldn't take us Supernaturals down. I pushed that thought aside and turned to the matter at hand. "Look sorry about that. You just looked like you were up to something. That's all. I guess, maybe, I know why." I shrugged and looked around, that nagging mind of mine on high gear, thinking.

[Deathy]

Jane looked closely at the girl What did she mean I wouldn’t be able to get by her…
Yeah well in my line of work I’m a big toughie and it wouldn’t do for me to be seen buying toy hippo’s she said grumpily, but as this was a base state of being for Jane it didn’t matter.
it’s cool Jane managed, getting he annoyance under control just don’t going around accusing just anybody kid, not all people are as controlled as me
horse… Jane’s brain had just checked in and it was showing some interesting reports. Watching the girl Jane was beginning to make some connections, A flick of the hair here, a movement there, a way of speaking here.
So you like horses do you? Jane asked, reaching behind her back with the hand that wasn’t holding the toy hippo.

[RacingBelle]

No, no, no! Jisa's gonna kill me! This was an EF cop! I was almost sure. Maybe but I've been wrong today. Time to run any how, I didn't like the way this was turning out. "Sure I'll try not to make a habit of it. Well what is you 'line of work'." I said putting a sarcastic tone to that little bit. Then I saw her hand, that wasn't holding the hippo, reaching slowly behind her back. Please don't be a gun. Please don't be a gun. I took a step back. Then another. Then another. "Yeah I like horses. What teenage girl doesn't?! I ride a lot or really when ever I can. I used to have a horse named Belle but we had to leave her behind when we moved." Those weren't exactly lies either. I did take care and ride a horse named Belle before I ran away. I was backing up slowly cautiously. I didn't like this. It was too closed in to shift and run, that would only give me away too. Back it up, back it up. It's too crowded. It's too crowded. I didn't like close spaces and this was was definitely time not to be in one. I didn't let the fear I was feeling escape to show on my face. I bottled it up and released some confidence and wit. Just get outside and run. Just get outside and run. I looked at the clock that hung behind her. "Oh look at the time. Dad is coming to pick me up in the parking lot soon. Better go!" I continued to back up, no matter how much I wanted to run. Breath in. Breath out. Easy now. Easy. Think like a human not a horse. I just babbled in my head. Hoping I could get out and keep my freedom.

[Deathy]

Jane’s lips turned up slightly at the corners, the ruse had worked. She didn’t actually have a weapon shoved in her back pocket, no her bowie knife was in her boot but the panic on the girls face and the dig about her line of work were enough.
What I have here she thought is a regular teenage supernatural
She took a step toward the girl, perfect still holding the hippo.
My line of work is very, dangerous for some people Jane said, her smile was, well the smile of the axe man as he practice getting the chop of your head right, unpleasant.
And I think your dads going to be waiting for a long time
She tucked the hippo under her arm and took another step forward.

[RacingBelle]

Wait. Idiot! I started to come forward, just one step. There was absolutely no fresh gunpowder smell on her. A metallic smell that I've come to know as a knife or an unloaded gun met me instead, maybe. It could be something else. But I at least I knew there was no gun in play here. Just a knife, once again maybe. I almost panicked again. The only thing I had on me was a measly pocket knife. I didn't have any idea weather or not it was sharp! It was just a knife that I picked up in the grass at the park. Nothing special. Nothing quite as lethal as what this woman probably had. Besides at my luck, I was starting to call it "shifter's luck" , I would lunge and pull out the screwdriver or nail file! On the other hand, that was in my right sneaker just because I didn't trust myself not to fiddle with it and then loose it if I had it in my pocket. What I needed right now was one of my uncle's Swiss army knives. Yeah that would work. One problem, besides the fact you had warning bells going off in your head before you walked in here, is that you don't have one! That voice, I was starting to think it was my conscience, chimed once more. A wicked smile, almost as wicked as this 'cop' played on my lips. "I told you before, I'm not stupid. I'm still getting used to these 'senses' of mine. There is no gun. Only something else right?" Giving a hint that I knew she had a weapon but maybe or maybe not that I knew where or what it was. Well, I had a very good idea what it was, just not where. "Come and get me!" I turned and sprinted out, shoving people out of the way along the way. It didn't matter if she thought I had parents. It was best to keep her guessing. I concentrated on getting out of the mall and outside. There at least I would have a chance of getting away.

[Deathy]

Jane didn’t run straight out after the girl, she took half a moment to put the hippo back on its self, wave goodbye and then she took off.
The girl had only just made it to the beginning of the second isle as Jane came out of hers.

She stopped pretended to look one way and then the other, when her eyes found the girl. Taking a deep breath Jane bellowed Stop thief! Thief! she took of after gaining ground with speed somebody stop that thief!!!
If only some civilian will tackle her…
whoosh! an old lady came flying out of isel 2. aming for the girl, hand bag swing and screaming something intelligible.
I just love crazy old women Jane muttered under her breath grinning, then she remembered she was the concerned thief taker and stopped smileing, the old lady hadn't got her yet.

[RacingBelle]

Great. I wasn't coming back here anymore! "Don't believe that bull of a woman!'' I manged to shout before a lady came flying out of the isle. Stupid old lady! I didn't want to hurt her but I had to dodge and did, sending the lady flying on the floor. "Sorry!" I called back before dodging yet another attempt of someone catching me. I almost chuckled. I was fitter than any of them combined. Not to mention younger and more agile. Well except for that stupid EF lady. Perhaps she could catch up a little but probably not enough to catch me in time, hopefully. The entrance loomed overhead then whoosh it was behind me. The emergency exit was just to the right of me. I slammed into it, the alarms blaring behind me. I slowed momentarily before running off again. No one can catch me. You've defeated them your first day here... I just kept repeating encouragement to myself. As I ran, once more, for my life. Memories of my first day in Clearstone came back. If I knew anything about the EF it was that they traveled in packs. Once the lady called for help, there was no way that I could escape, with freedom with my life. I set my jaw and continued, bursting out into the sunshine running to who knows where with hopefully no one on my tail.

[Deathy]

Jane cursed loudly, the old lady had missed! She’s old, but that’s not an excuses! she thought angrily.
Going into gear two Jane chased after the girl, no longer bothering to cry “thief!” jumping over the second civilian that had tried to catch the shifter she made double time toward the exit. Just as the girl sent the door swing shut she got her foot in between the frame and the door.
oh fudge! she groaned as the door hit her foot with the full force of the girls fear.
Favoring her foot Jane pushed the door open and ran out, leaving the alarms to their blaring and letting people know of danger.
Seeing the girl Jane ran after her, she didn’t think she was in much danger of the girl’s father turning up, to start with, it doesn’t look like she’s aiming for the car park, it doesn't look like she's aiming anywhere
Dodging around shoppers she made a bee line for the girl.

[RacingBelle]

Dang! That woman was still after me! I kept running but my eyes swept around. A small stables came into my sights. Perfect! Small but if a terrified filly turned up...I grinned. Now I just had to get bull-lady off my tail! I half jumped half climbed the fence that was in my way and darted behind the barn. Please don't see me! My body quickly shifted into my animal form of a gray mare. The shift was quicker than normal, fueled by my excitement. I looked around again and saw a middle aged man exiting a black horse's stall. He'll do. I ran up to him and reared. I tried to play the part and act genuinely terrified. It apparently worked and the man spoke gently to me. I tossed my head as I saw a paddock that was empty and the gate open. The man saw it too and I allowed him to herd me into it. I reared again and rolled my eyes taking off around the paddock until the man was out of sight. Then I looked at the fence and saw that it was low enough for a horse like me to clear. I relaxed, as far as a human eye could see and waited for something. I grazed and looked like a normal horse. Maybe. I hoped. Just let her buy it for a few minutes and then I could get away to my safe haven.

[Deathy]

Jane’s eyes narrowed as she saw where the girl was heading
oh, you cheeky little... the words died in her mouth as the girl went around the back of the bar.
NO! Jane thought as she cleared the fence if I lose you I am in so much trouble! she groaned slightly when the girl shifted into a horse, Jane was no good with horses. The horse was grey and the girl was well a girl so I must be looking for a grey mare she decide as she slowed to a walk.
Jane pretended to pant as she made her way toward the man Excuses me sir but did a grey mare come through here? she asked because mine bucked me off and then took off Jane pretended to laugh I was chasing her and she came in here, in that paddock? Why thank you sir waving Jane ran toward the paddock.
Jane had no experience with horse what so ever, looking around she decided to head to the back of the paddock.