Scenario:Catherine and Metera - Love Hustle

Love Hustle

Catherine sets out to avenge a group of conned women by stealing from the con man who wronged them. Serendipity has it that Metera is also aiming to teach the con man a lesson. The two avengers team up, with Catherine going to retrieve the swindled money from the charlatan's home, and Metera showing him what a woman can do with a bow, an arrow, and a whole lot of anger.

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As evening turns to night and the sun begins to set, girl meets boy.

Metera: Why hello, hello. I've been searching all over for you, good looking.

Spotting the man, Metera tracks her prey down and proceeds to lure him in.

Metera: Hey there, suave stuff. I'm going out tonight—care to keep a girl company?

Mr. Suave: Whoa, never dreamed I'd be asked out by a knock-out like you.

The man gives a wide, sparkling smile.

Metera: Ooh! Aren't you a smooth player! I'll take that as a yes!

As Metera succeeds in picking up the man, another story unfolds at the cafe Kitten.

After closing up shop for the night, Catherine sits down in front of a mountain of letters.

Catherine: You poor things. Conned by the oldest trick in the book—money for his mother's medicine.

Catherine: Take a girl's heart, take her money, then leave her high and dry. Scum. I hate these types as much as I hate dealing with them.

Letter after letter, cries of women swindled by similar cons are divulged. Each case different, but the perpetrator always of the same description.

Catherine: Well, hope you had your fun, chum...

Catherine: Cause tonight's your unlucky night.

Transforming from a modest cafe waitress into the debonair thief Nightsmoke, she slips out into the dark streets.

Catherine: (Finding out his address should be a piece of cake.)

Catherine: (Let's see how the swindler likes being swindled for a change!)

Metera: ...

Just then Catherine spots Metera strolling by with her freshly-caught man in arm.

Catherine: Hm?
(Was that... Metera?)

Catherine: Could she be... on a date! Well, nothing new about that, though.

Catherine: What are the odds, seeing her right when I'm—
Hm? Wait. That man...

Catherine: Gasp! That's the con artist! He fits the letters' descriptions exactly!

Metera: Hunny Buns! Just look at that dress—isn't it divine! Let's go in and try it on me!

Mr. Suave: Of course. Can't say no to you, babe.

Catherine watches as the two enter the boutique.

Catherine: Hmm, I'm sure she'll be fine... It's Metera, after all. But...

With a mix of concern and curiosity, Catherine begins to follow the couple.

Metera: Oh, it's fabulous! What do you think?

Mr. Suave: ...!
Wow, I almost had a heart attack from how beautiful you are. You look amazing.

Metera: Mmm... Not quite what I wanted to hear, but I'll take it. Maybe.

Mr. Suave: Hey, it's tough pleasing someone used to getting compliments all the time.

Metera: Say. Wanna know what'll make me really happy?

Mr. Suave: You bet I do.

He takes her hand, looks into her eyes, and whispers.

Mr. Suave: I'll do anything for you, Metera. I feel like I could give you my whole life right now.

Metera: Oh? Then tell me you'll buy me this dress.

Mr. Suave: Huh?
Ah... Ahahaha! Metera, babe! Sure there isn't something else you'd like more?

Metera: Don't try to change the subject. I thought you'd do anything for me.

Metera: I'm sure we both want to have an enjoyable night, don't we?

Mr. Suave: Eep! An en-en-enjoyable... night?

Gulp goes the con man.

Con Man: Metera... I... I, uhh... D-do you really mean—

Metera: Naughty, naughty! Get your mind out of the gutter—it's still too soon for that! Thanks for the dress though!

Catherine giggles as she watches them from the shadows.

Catherine: You go, Metera. Make that con man pay.

Metera: ...

Catherine: Now where are we off to next...
Oh, look at me, I'm actually enjoying myself here.

The couple visits a general store and a jewelry store, where Metera continues to toy with the con man.

Now at a restaurant, the con man excuses himself for a moment, perhaps in an attempt to devise an escape from all this.

Catherine: (Heh-heh. She's got you wrapped around her little finger. Let's see how you get out of this one.)

Metera: I spy with my fluffy ears... a cat spying on me. Come out, Catherine.

Catherine: Huh?

Turning around to look at the hiding Catherine, Metera grins.

Catherine: Ahaha! Guess I'm out of the bag!

Metera: Felines and curiosity—you know what they say. Also, stop grinning like that when you follow people; you look like a stalker.

Catherine: Gasp! I... I was not grinning! I think...

Metera: Well, whatever your face was doing it was creepy. Is this how you spend all your free time?

Catherine: Actually, I was about to ask you the same question.

Metera: Oh come now, Kitty-Cathy, what do you take me for? I only do this when I'm teaching scum like him a lesson.

Catherine: Wait... So you—

Metera cuts Catherine off before she has a chance to ask.

Metera: Let's keep this between us, shall we?

Catherine: Why?

Metera: We don't need to bother the crew with details like this. Wouldn't you agree?

Catherine: Hehe. True. Whether we tell them or not, it doesn't change what we do.

Metera: My thoughts exactly. Y'know, we might make a good team. What do you say we both show this guy a real hustle?

Catherine: I like the way you think. But I think I'll let you handle the... physical side.

Metera: I'll leave the rest to you then.

Catherine: My pleasure.

Exchanging a high-five with her fellow conspirator, Catherine disappears into the night with a look of cunning in her eyes.

Catherine: Humph. With locks like those you might as well leave the door open. Now if I were a crooked rat, where would I keep my hoard...

Catherine infiltrates the con man's home and gets straight to searching its rooms.

Catherine: Tsk. You've scammed a lot of people to have gotten this much.

On the shelf she finds a box full of money. She stuffs the contents into a pouch on her waist.

Catherine: That does it for my end. I wonder how my partner in justice is doing on hers.

Metera: Gross! You've got some gall spitting out a line like that!

Metera: Money for your mother's medicine? A baby could come up with a better lie than that.

Con Man: Wha—

Metera: Thought you could fool me? Liar, liar, I'll set you on fire.

Con Man: Eep!
M-m-mercy! Please!

Metera: The only thing I hate more than a liar is a professional liar! This is for all the women you swindled, dirtbag!

Con Man: Aaaiiieee!

Faraway echoes of the con man's screams reach the ears of Catherine, who skips a light step despite the weight of the gold in her pouch.

Catherine: Ahahaha! The perfect end to a perfect night.

Thus it was that several days later, the con artist's victims were returned their swindled money, and they all lived happily ever after.