Half an hour ago..

"Are they dangerous?", asked Alisa, raising an eyebrow

After an early morning working out at the gym, the Northern beauty had showered and changed into her white guild attire, a far more formal and elegant outfit - comprising a white jacket, skirt and boots over black stockings - nonetheless better suited for combat. After that, she'd taken a mission to deal with graffitying delinquents, which she was now being debriefed over:

"If you're under 5ft tall, maybe.", Shrugged the veteran cop named Keiji

This answer had the Mage furrowing her brow, folding her arms under her confined bosom:

"Then, why not just arrest them?", She asked with a doubtful, almost accusatory tone, no understanding why would a cop so readily delegate his work

"I did, twice already.", He stated bluntly, before sighing and shaking his head, "Their dads bailed each of them out both those times. I can't spend so much time arresting them, I have other things to do."

Alisa's jaw actually dropped at this unexpected revelation, and the good detective continued:

"...We suspect some of them may have shoplifted and stole wallets, but for the most part they just pretend to steal. But with all the graffity, they racked up enough property damage to put a mugger to shame. Mind you, none of these kids need to do any of this, they all come from good families. They just want to look bad, thinking that will make them popular... But one day, they might get on a real criminal's bad side. Some take tagging very seriously you see...", the man rubbed his forehead, visibly worried...

What this cop wanted was simple, scare those kids, strike the fear of God into them before they draw the attention of someone truly vicious.

Ultimately this debrief proved a complete eye opener, for something Alisa already suspected for a long time but had never come face to face with: Kids these days think​ being a thug is cool...


Now...


"...I really hope you enjoyed tagging our property.", Alisa stated coldly, looking at the three wannabe thugs like bugs who'd gotten too annoying for their own good, "Because that was a lifetime worth of fun you brats just had."

She had found the three kids easily enough thanks to the cop's information. Alisa was now playing a role; her old serious and vengeful self embodying a Mafia henchwoman. She lacked permission to rough them up as needed, but she could still go for a more physical form of intimidation, an intent made all the more glaring by their disrespectful attitude:

"Yo, is this bitch seriously picking a fight with us?", asked one teen in slack pants, actually wearing one sock over his jeans in the most unsightly way imaginable.

He stubbed his cigarette and walked closer to Alisa, his two mates following suit. To their credit, they still weren't so dumb as to immediately step within range of their attacks, that minute ounce of carefulness that set them apart from more fearless criminals.

"I'd show you my switchblade, but lucky for you I left it at home.", another says all no-nonsense, without the faintest clue how ridiculous he sounds.

"Now that's just precious~!", Alisa lets out a little chuckle, not even caring enough to scoff.

Looking behind the trio, the tall Pegasus finally sees the only weapon they've been using: A bag filled with spray paint cans, with a few others littered around.

"Well I didn't.", Adds the other with what he must no doubt think is a vicious grin, "Are you sure you want to see it, you cheeky cunt? If I pull it out, Imma have to use it."

With a far more genuine, even if not very effective threat, Alisa narrows her eyes and approaches the delinquents with a menacing stride:

"How laughable...", despite these words, she's hardly laughing anymore, "You can use it if you want, but it really doesn't matter. Because...", She glares, "...None of you will be walking out of here."

With this, she immediately sees the bad guy facade melting away from them, with gulps and scarcely visible trembles...

"Hey guys, I think she's actually serious...", They laugh half heartedly

But one of them, clearly the leader, is the most collected, putting on the bravest face:

"Hey, hey... You really think you can take us all?"

With this, the pretend assassin just smirks and pockets her hands, "I won't even need my hands.", and at that moment, Alisa moves.

She dashes at the leader before any of them can react, up close and personal, but pauses as if to let him do so. Startled, he goes for the predictable wild swing, to which Alisa readily avoids with a back step. This guy was the leader, she was the one she had to break, away from this world they were so clearly unprepared for.

Immediately after he missed his swing, Alisa spun into hers in turn, a Tornado kick out of nowhere, right to the head. But stopped only a mere inch away, blowing off his cap and messy hair with sheer wind force.

She'd normally not engage with such a big attack, but in this case, flashiness was in her best interest, the only way to get her point across, through their thick skulls without actually busting them...

"Shit..!"

"Why you...!"

They grumbled and threatened, but none dared to make a move, paralyzed by fear, while the leader just stood there with his face white as a ghost.  As if his life had just flashed before his eyes. All of them were fully aware of what might have happened had she not stopped, and how a real criminal wouldn't have done so... And could very well be even stronger than her.

"Do you understand now?", Alisa asks with a calmer, yet still stern tone, finally pulling her leg back. She's back now. No longer the Alisa from years past, that ruthless fighter who saw any and all dark mages as her mortal enemies. Going back to those days hardly comprised a pleasant experience... But playing a role that never belonged to her, that actually helped... A constant reminder how she wasn't this person, not anymore, just like how she never was a Mafia enforcer.

When the now reformed delinquents nods feverently, she continues her lecture, undeterred, "There's a reason why thugs don't live long. If you tag the wrong wall, annoy the wrong person... Nobody will come to save you. So what will you do now?"

"W-we're gonna stop tagging...!

"And stealing..."

"And pretending we've stolen our allowance money...!"

They list their crimes, each bowing their heads down in vehement apology. A harsh lesson, but one that had to be dealt...

It's bad enough for some to be forced into a life of crime. Voluntarily choosing that life is even worse, and rampant delinquency is a slippery slope that quickly leads even the least prepared right to it. And likely death... Satisfied, Alisa grabs their now discarded bag of spray and heads back to her client.

...

"...Are those brats okay...?", asks Keiji, half regretting asking such a thing of a professional Mage

To which Alisa just scratches her temple, brushing a lock of raven hair behind her ear, "Well... Their bodies are fine..."

"Alright...", he sighs, gladly suprised, relieved even, somebody could beat some sense into those stubborn punks without actually beating them, "If they gave up their delinquency and spray painting, we'll leave it at that. Good work.", and with these two words the detective hands the Mage her pay, taking the bag of spray in exchange

Truly a dubious request... And though Alisa had second thoughts about her own methods; the results not so much.

It had to be done...

words: 1300 summin