anyone for fish?

"Well, it certainly didn't take long for them to catch on that there's an intruder here," Tran muttered to himself. "Then again, it's not everyday that the queen's crown gets stolen from right on top of her head."  He dashed down the hallway, not making a sound.  Up ahead, he heard some guards running from one of the intersecting hallways.  He reached over to his hand, found the tattoo he wanted, and traced it with his finger.

The guards rounded the corner seconds after he disappeared from view.  They ran right past him as he huddled against the wall.  After they were a good distance away, Tran continued his silent, and now invisible, run.  He didn't have to look down at his arm to know that the tattoo was gone.  Not that he had the option to anyway, seeing as even he couldn't see himself.

He ran down the rest of the hallway and entered one of the rooms he had visited before his daring heist, and ran over to a barrel, reaching in for the rope he had previously put in there.  It would be a little difficult to escape from the third floor of the palace without it.  "I thought I put it right underneath the shield with the lion," he murmured to himself.

"You did," came a voice from not too far away.

"Show yourself!" Tran demanded; he really needed to get out of the habit of talking to himself while he was hiding.

"You first," came the reply.

Dang, thought Tran, for if he couldn't see himself, he couldn't find and trace the tattoos that he needed.  Seeing no other alternative, he released the spell that kept him hidden from sight.

"Ah, one of the ink clan, I see, how interesting.  That explains a lot.  I thought I sensed someone messing with my stuff up here, so I decided to check it out, I'm glad I did, Tran,"  The location from where the voice emanated started to materialize and Tran saw a man in shiny full plate emerge from the shadows, the image of a half sun and half moon imprinted on his tabard that lay on top of his mail.

"How do you know my name, I don't recognize you," Tran was somewhat freaked out now.

"Oh, we know a lot about you, and all the little things you and your posse have stolen.  Magical weapons from the local blacksmiths, magical apparel from different shops around the kingdom, even the mundane ingredients required for transformation potions.  We know all about you, and your attempts to break into the royal vault.  All you needed was one of the crowns, am I correct?" 

Man, this guy was good.  "Well, yeah, I guess if you want to look at it that way.  Mind you, we still have to break in."

"Ha! Don't make me laugh, Tran, we know that you're coming, and we'll be prepared.  However, if you give the crown back, maybe we'll let all the other minor inconveniences slip our mind."

"Maybe? Is that the best you can offer me?  Just a 'maybe' won't cut it.  And I wouldn't give it back, even with an assurance of acquittal."  Tran could sense a change in the atmosphere as he made this statement.

"Very well, then, Tran.  Seeing as you have no place to run, I will give you a moment to repent of your crimes before I dispense justice upon you."  He walked over to be in front of the door, hands together in an at-ease position.

Well, this is a new predicament.  There really wasn't much that Tran could do, any sort of movement would set this guy after him.  However, if he could make it to the window before this other guy here, maybe... just maybe.

"Time's up.  Tran, you are hereby accused of robbery in the first degree, and I am obligated to bring you in, dead or alive.  Guess which one I'm doing."  He raised his hand and started moving it in a way that Tran recognized. 

Why is it always the fireball first?  Tran ran as quickly as his feet would carry him towards the window, as the armored man laughed in the pleasure of knowing that his quarry was going to be fried in just a moment. 

Tran covered his face as he jumped through the window, fireball exploding right behind him.  The blast sent him propelling further than he expected.  Not a problem, he quickly rolled up his sleeve and traced another of his tattoos, summoning a large eagle from it's natural habitat, and while the eagle couldn't bear his full weight, it definitely did slow down his fall tremendously as he hung on to it's talon.

He released the eagle while he was only a few feet from the ground, and landing on the ground, he started running. 

"After him!" came the shout from the window.

Tran smiled as he jumped over a short wall and entered the city.  He pulled his hood up over his face and took a quick look at the crown in his bag.  Just one final step before he would be known as the best thief in the entire world.

(hey-o everyone, finally have a real length story for ya ;)  I understand that yesterday's stories are a bit difficult, but please do guess.  I'll give you a hint, while they might not be built around an exact story or movie, they certainly were inspired as such, and one or two of them are actually rather cliche.  Anyway, keep the guesses coming in!

Also, I should be getting a those guest stories in any day now, so you guys can look forward to those.  Hope your Wednesday is awesome!  Peace)