Flower Bandits Errand PV Atlas Closed

“I see fine! You focus on your own mission Rice Monkey, we don’t need your sass,” Ethen scolded as he quickly dodged a student that seemed to have come out of no where. “They’re everywhere!” Ethen shouted towards Atlas as more and more students filled the halls. He assumed a class must have just gotten out at about the worst possible time for them. But he had no way to slow down his fast weaving as he scooped up small bundles of the flowers. Seeing Atlas dart down a small corridor, Ethen pivoted and pursued quickly panting from the exertions of running in the confines of the back pack.

He could see Atlas massaging her shoulder and assumed the girl must have hit it while her vision was obscured. He placed his hand lightly on her shoulder and took over the massage as she spoke. He pretty used to the girl always injuring herself. As clumsy as he was, he had always been lucky about getting hurt. But in their time together, it had become his secondary role to patch the girl up for her many cuts and bruises.

He nodded to her suggestion that they needed more vision in their makeshift disguises. Tossing seven more flowers into their growing bundle, Ethen began slowly cutting small holes in the backpack for him to see out of. He assumed he must look like the worst horror creature ever designed. Like a haunted backpack with human eyes peeking out of the back. Immediately, however, it became much easier for him to make out the winding halls of the school.

“We need to get a good heist going and we need a place where we can place our trophy of borrowed flowers!” Ethen said still catching his breath from all of the running. “I say we leave it in one of the classrooms! They are always so boring but if we sneak in we can add some beautiful decoration,” Ethen chuckled mischievously.

"How about Professor MacTavish's office or something? He's the one who sent us out on this errand and I'm not sure if anyone would have thought to give him flowers." Atlas brainstormed as she stood up placing the badger head back on as she adjusted it thankful she could now see everything clearly. 

"Alright we are gonna make a hard left out of this corridor and straight through to the next hallway. I think I remember seeing a bunch of flowers down there and we need to make sure our basket is overflowing!" Atlas eagerly continued as she inhaled deeply before comically creeping down the hall. She could hear upperclassmen snickering and making comments but she just rolled her eyes knowing all too well that they were just jealous they weren't included in on the infamous Bandit's Day. 

A girl came down the hallway holding a vibrant red rose, most likely a gift from a crush but Atlas needed it more than her as she quickly reached up and snatched it from the girl's hand sprinting down the hall as she heard the girl call out after her. Atlas assumed Ethen was right behind her but she didn't have a chance to look back as she scooped up some daisies that were placed in the hands of a suit of armor. 

Tossing them into the basket, Atlas made a hard right down another hall as she stopped to catch her breath snatching another flower wrapped around one of the columns as she waited for Ethen. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest but her smile never faded, she was having the time of her life. 

“If anyone deserves all the flowers it would be them!” Ethen agreed quickly as the plan began to come together. He doubted that the professor would already be swamped with flowers and it was their time to shine. “I just want you to know that its okay that you are going to lose to me, it happens to smelly rice monkeys,” Ethen teased as he took off running to get a sligh head start on the girl running down the new path.

Ethen watched in horror as Atlas snatched a rose right from a girls hand, he peered on wide eyed as she passed him. He knew she had entered savage mode and nothing would stop her from trying to win the day’s competition. Quickly following, Ethen snatched several tulips from a strange looking brown vase and a small daisy poking out of a student’s book bag. He knew he had to keep moving or he risked one of the older students apprehending him. Nothing ruined Bandit Day more than getting snatched.

Ethen hijacked another few stray flowers strewn about the walls and from a vibrant blue vase before skidding to a halt beside Atlas. Panting from all the weaving about, Ethen tossed a considerable haul of flowers into the basket watching it slowly fill with their booty. “Not too tired already are you Rice monkey,” Ethen teased as he flicked the badger head. “I knew you couldn’t keep up,” Ethen smirked as he returned to the hunt. He saw a prize the likes of which they didnt have yet.

A whole bouquet of flowers protruded from a boy’s bag several paces ahead of him and Ethen knew they had to have it. It was a beautiful array of flowers. He wondered if he was planning on giving it to someone or if it was given to him. Shaking the thought out of his head, Ethen began sneaking and sneakily as he could up behind the other boy. Wiggling his snatching fingers, in one blindingly fast motion Ethen had removed the bouquet from the bag and was already creeping back to Atlas as he plopped the large bouquet in the basket.

The basket was heavier each second as Ethen kept pulling loads of flowers in. The large bouquet haul he had just made was too good to be true as Atlas bit down on her lip. She would need to try much harder if she was going to win the day's competition. 

Squinting her eyes into game mode, Atlas noticed two girls walking past holding vases of flowers as they tried to juggle the uneven weight. A devilish grin formed on her face as she started to take deep heavy breaths, looking into the chandelier as she felt tears starting to form. Scooting the basket behind one of the suits of armor, Atlas was ready.

Slowly shuffling to the girls, Atlas gently bumped into them. "Oh..I-I'm s-so sorry..." she sniffled rubbing her eyes to add more redness. "Oh my god what happened little one...is everything okay?!" One of the girls inquired a panicked look scattering onto her face as she was obviously shocked to see someone this upset around a holiday all about love.

"Uhhhh no...you s-see my grandma just passed away this month and I wanted to decorate her tomb with all these bright flowers for Valentine's Day s-so she c-could be h-happy...but I don't h-have enough money...and I f-feel like I'm letting her d-down..." Atlas replied as full-blown crocodile tears trickled down her cheek. 

"Oh honey...I'm so sorry...here take these...we were just gonna put them around the school to brighten up the dreary decor but it seems like you need them way more...plus we can always go pick some more!" The other girl replied as they both handed her all the vases they were carrying. "Are you able to carry them all or do you need help?"

"Oh I-I can manage...I...I don't know what to say..."

"Awww you don't have to say anything...Happy Valentine's Day dear...hopefully you will feel better soon..." The two girls continued their trek down the hallway on the search for fresh flowers as Atlas waited for them to disappear around the corner before wiping away her tears as she added a dozen vases to their overheaping basket as she hoisted it up with both arms making her way back to Ethen.

"And that...is how you do it..." Atlas smirked as she shook the sadness off her face.