Futuristic Kromm - Symphony of Thieves

[Snek]

"Welcome to Kromm, stranger," says the clerk at the town hall as he sizes up your appearance. You do look a little strange to him, in terms of apparel, but he seems to shrug it off and leans an elbow on the counter.

"The biggest city north of the Great Divide. Arguably the biggest city on Verosia. My pioneer ancestors built this place, after searching the entire continent for fertile land and natural resources. That was nearly a millennium ago...and now, Kromm is the center of all commerce, trade, and business in the region. There are other huge cities nowadays, but this is the wealthiest, and it was also the first."


The man takes a break to make sure you're listening, twisting his impressive mustache between his fingers.


"And how did we get to be so great? Under good leadership, of course. The Grand Council oversees everythin' that happens in Kromm, from the media to business to everything in between. They realized that there was no way ten million people were all gonna to agree on certain things, so they liberated everyone from the burden a' choice and rose to power. No one does anythin' without their say-so. And if you wanna publish somethin' that makes 'em look bad? Forget it. No one is allowed to question the wisdom and superiority of the Grand Council, and rightly so. After all, they got us this far, right?


"Unfortunately, we got ourselves a bit of a pest problem in Kromm. See, magic is a pretty strong presence here in Verosia, as you may know, and most people can learn to use it, but few are inherently powerful enough to become arcane masters. Somehow, some criminal by the alias of Vex found a way to harness magic through a medium other than incantations or tomes:


Music.


He's got a whole cult of followers livin' under the radar, all of them proficient in their strange song-magic and eager to pilfer, pillage, and generally cause chaos. They've been here nearly twenty years now, rebelling against the Grand Council but always out of reach of the authorities."


A look crosses the man's face, and he leans down behind the desk to retrieve a package, plopping it down on the counter and pushing it towards you.


"Oh by the way, someone sent this letter for ya. Strange symbol on the seal, isn't it? Well, I'll leave you to it then. Safe travels, and welcome again to Kromm."


The gruff clerk gets up and walks into the room behind the counter, shutting the door behind him and leaving you all alone in the dark lobby of town hall. You lift the package to your eyes, peering suspiciously at the strange symbol embossed into the wax seal. It resembles something of a mixture between an eye and a musical note, the tail of it slightly jagged like a lightning bolt.


You open it to find a map of the city, a small ring, some sheet music, and a folded letter.


The map is folded neatly, and seems to include passageways and streets that aren't shown on the city-issued map that the town hall gave you. The symbol on the package seal is also printed near the middle of the map, at the end of what looks to be a long, narrow back-alley.


The ring is also printed with the seal symbol. The ring overall looks rather expensive, with a band made of some unknown black metal and a slim, smooth amethyst stone.


The sheet music is hand-written, a little unkempt and scrawl-y, but the notes were clearly arranged by an expert.


You unfold the letter and read it.


[To Whomever It May Concern


Greetings, and welcome to Kromm. I trust you find this a most accommodating city, yes? Of course, I am being terribly sarcastic. The Grand Council holds complete dominion here. Sure, one can argue that the commerce is healthy for the economy, and they've achieved nearly 99% employment, but when it comes down to it we are all slaves here. The citizens, anyways. There is no self-expression, there is no creativity. There is no spirit. Everyone is just a part of this cruel circle of politics, corruption, and repression.


I can reasonably guess you came here looking for a better life? A more well-paying job? Higher-quality living, perhaps? You were exiled from your previous city? Whatever the case, I assure you that the standard of living here is highly exaggerated. At least, for normal citizens.


I'm sure the people at town hall told you all about me, starting a cult of arcane thieves, causing mass mayhem and chaos. However, I can guarantee that their descriptions do not do me justice. They cannot possibly know what I have experienced, or what my true goals really are.


If you wish to be part of something righteous, something bigger than yourself, then I implore you to join my ranks. Simply head to the location on the enclosed map (make sure you're not followed) and play the sheet music with any instrument. There's a fellow on the corner who sells cheap wooden flutes, perhaps you could start your noble deeds by paying the poor man for his work. The Grand Council surely won't.


However, there is also the chance that you will decline my offer. Turning in this letter to the authorities will not get them any closer to finding me, so I would suggest to avoid wasting your time. And before you get any bright ideas, if you follow my above directions with the intent of infiltrating my headquarters, I will personally attend to the matter of your...expulsion. And I cannot guarantee that you will be alive when you leave. At the very least, you won't remember me, my headquarters, or even this letter.


Kromm is not a forgiving place, but I can offer guaranteed shelter, food, and various luxuries the council would never dream of bestowing. The choice is yours. Whatever your decision, I sincerely wish you good luck. You're going to need it.


In song and in spirit,


~Vex~]

 

[Snek]

"Let the symphony begin.~"


The man's voice echoes throughout his chamber, bouncing off the walls only to reach the ears of the one who uttered those words. He sits crosslegged on the floor, surrounded by various instruments of expensive and extremely rare nature. Concentrating, the man once again hears the song within his soul, and the familiar power of song-magic courses through his veins. His skin begins to glow with a pulsing light, flashing along to an unheard rhythm like a wayward heartbeat.


The instruments around him begin to rise into the air, drifting slowly upward as they twirl and reflect light off their shimmering surfaces of steel, brass, and polished wood. Tendrils of the pulsing energy lifts off of his skin, and entwine around the bodies of the instruments floating around him. One by one, they begin playing notes by themselves, each one crafting a song all its own. Slowly, but surely, the tunes begin to merge together into one song, one voice, one hearbeat - the soul of magic itself surging through the man as he sat on the floor and let his power flow like water released from a demolished dam. The sound of the symphony encirced the room and echoed to the ceiling and back. Its tone was that of knowledge and of secrets, deep and foreboding, but there was also sly undertones of happiness and bittersweet joy. To call it a masterpiece would be an understatement. The harmony alone would make even the Grand Council weep in reverence.


Vex watched his symphony play, witnessed the joy of his soul flying free, and a single tear crept down his cheek.


~


Brogan Ready - Main Echo Hall Lounge


"Echo Hall, hideaway of the Vespers. Ah, I'll never get over how great this place is."


Brogan was taking full advantage of Vex's bestowed luxuries on his followers, lounging on a rather large and unbelievably comfortable bed of cushions, which was positioned in front of a roaring fireplace engraved with carved stone borders of musical notes and the Vesper symbol smack-dab in the center. He looked around the room. To his right in the corner, there was a pair of younger Vespers playing a rhythm game of some sort, their instruments hooked up to the gaming console and their eyes fixed on the screen as they struggled to outdo each other. Brogan was familiar with this particular game, and had already mastered it and every game before it in the series. It took him three years, more or less. Damn things were hard, programmed by Vex himself. Although, they sold freely throughout Kromm, so the label was designated to some made-up company Vex called Paradox Studios, and he raked in all of the profit through an emissary. They sold millions of units.


He leaned back in the cushions and gazed lazily up toward the high ceiling, idly keying a few notes on his keytar as he admired the architecture. Almost every room in Echo Hall had high ceilings like this, because it gave the entire labyrinth amazing acoustics. He was about to burst into full song, before he heard a voice at the door.


"Eh?"

 

[Noah]

Noah Bassisto


Main Echo Hall Lounge





Noah opened the door into the Main Echo Hall announcing "Hello guys." He looked around at who was here. A few Vespers lounging here and there, a couple playing a game, and Brogan lounging in front of the fire place. Noah stepped in lugging his bass. He sat down a little off to the left of high ranking Vesper.


"Hello Brogan." Noah said as he brought out his bass. He liked to play in the hall and listen to the low, rich, sound of his instrument. "How have you been?" Noah asked making some small talk. In truth, he was slightly intimidated by. Brogan. He was known to be high ranking and very competitive. Noah began to rub his bow down with some rosin.

 

[Snek]

Brogan Ready - Main Echo Hall Lounge


Brogan raised an eyebrow at Noah entering the room, then leaned his head back on the cushions and closed his eyes.


"Salutations, Bass Man. Not much is going on currently, but I've been working on some new arrangements. Oh, by the way, I picked this up over in the Den of Composers. I was wandering around and one of the enchanters wanted me to test out some enchanted rosin for them. Told 'em I'd find someone who could put it to use. Give it a try."


Retrieving the small coin-sized block of wood from his pants pockets, Brogan tossed it backwards over his head, aiming for Noah's lap with his eyes closed. He then shifted in the pile of cushions and folded his arms behind his head, sighing deeply.


"Vex sure has a grasp on internal decorating, that's for sure...anyways, the Composer told me that rosin was imbued with, eh...what was it...ah, right, some form of sound enhancement. Something to do with vibrations and efficiency, like you won't have to work as hard to produce the same volume and quality of notes. I mean, shouldn't really be pressing that hard on the strings anyways, but I guess if it's really a problem then..." His voice trailed off as he sank further into the cloud of comfort on which he rested, preparing to be lulled to sleep by the low, rumbling thunder of Noah's bass.

 

[Noah]

Noah Bassisto


Main Echo Hall Lounge





Noah caught the case of wood in his hands. He was slightly impressed by the accuracy of Brogan with his eyes closed, back turned and what not. But the man was a skilled Vesper, it was to be expected. Noah opened the case and looked at the rosin. It was in the shape of an oval and had a mystical gleam to it. It seemed pretty good for his instrument.


"Thanks." Noah said gratefully. He took the rosin inside a cloth and applied it to his bow. After putting it back in the case and into his pocket, Noah glided his bow across the double bass strings to get a feel for it. "Wow..." Noah said under his breath. He could feel the rosin helping to create quality sound and tone. Noah noticed Brogan falling asleep. Smirking, Noah began to play away at a famous song, Perlude from Bach's Cello Suite.

 

[Shura]

Sidney Harper


Main Echo Hall Lounge


Music echoed through the halls greeting Sidney as she strolled through the Main Echo Hall, her tail swaying slightly to the subtle melodies each small group made which melded together into a larger song. She smiled sightly seeing a few others playing a rhyme game and watched for a moment finding slight amusement in their efforts. It was always funny to see the expressions they wore when trying to focus on the quickly passing dots. She had spend many hours playing and had gotten fairly good at it. She lingered for a few more measures before continuing her on her stroll making sure to keep her wing tucked closely to her body so she didn't nudge or bump into anyone.


The soft lull of a cello caught her ear drawing her closer to it's source. It wasn't much of a surprise when she spotted 'Base Man' playing the beautiful melody. The dragoness leaned against one of the walls listening to the music being played. She noticed a familiar blond seemingly asleep on one of the couches and chuckled softly. She tucked Siren to her side an rested her right elbow on it the notes translating to tabs in her mind as it played through.

 

[Life.]

||Kokoro|| ~ Leaving one of many restrooms and heading towards Main Echo Hall Lounge


"Bloody hell..."


The door of a restroom slammed open to reveal an ill Lagomorpcian. His wings were dragging and his ears drooping. Red veins emphasized his brown eyes. He willed himself forward and out of the bathroom to quickly turn and lean against the wall.


The tall, furry figure was hunched over staggering down the hall. Minutes passed as he slowly walked on. One arm was leaning against the wall for support while the other was clenching his stomach.


"Shouldn't have drank 24 beers with 15 vodka shots, those bathoroons. I'm gonna get them for tricking me," Kokoro muttered as he wiped drool from his mouth, with bloodshot fury in his eyes. He stopped at some point during his walk when he picked up the notes of a Bach song. With each note entering his system, he began to feel better. But the pounding headache prevented all the nausea to disappear.


"Better get somewhere or else I might pass out right here," he grumbled as he took one more step forward sending more pain to his head.

 

[Snek]

Brogan Ready - Main Echo Hall Lounge





The arrival of the Lagomorpcian roused Brogan from his catnap, and the elite Bard rolled over and strained to hoist himself into a seated position. The distinct smell of alcohol filled his nose, further ushering him awake and making him cough a few times.


"Had a few too many, eh Kokoro?" mused Brogan, his chuckling cut off by another cough. "I'd be careful about how many you put down. You know Vex's policy with alcohol."


Since his nap had been denied, he had nothing better to do than join Noah in his practice session. Joining another Vesper in song was a common gesture of respect and brotherhood, showing that they trust each other and would lay down their own life to save the other's. The second would join in and follow the rhythm of the first, signifying that the Vespers see each other for who they are: just people, both on the same playing field of life regardless of rank, age, gender, or race. Watching a Blossoming happen was a beautiful event to witness, like watching a sunrise or the birth of a newborn into the world.


One Vesper would be idly practicing, strumming or keying away to pass the time, and along would come another idle Vesper with nothing better to do. He would join the first, sliding cleanly into the rhythm, and then soon three would be playing, then four, then ten, then twenty. Soon there would be an entire orchestra of Vespers all playing in harmony, all sharing the same rhythm, the same sound, the same home, the same love. They were all a family, each Vesper connected to the others by a bond of mutual fellowship and companionship.


Brogan held the Primadore in his hands, gently pressing the keys as he glided into Noah's song with the smoothness and grace of a hardened musician. The electronic sound of his keytar and the bass's rumbling tones would be considered a strange combination by normal standards, but Vespers could (and often did) find a way to make any combination of instruments perform to its fullest degree. And this was no exception.


The melody sang with tones of foreboding, of secrets and schemes, of conspiracies and rebellion, reverberating deeply to complement the sound of Noah's bass. Brogan's fingers rolled gently across the keys as his instrument spun its tale of mutiny and revolution.

 

[Noah]

Noah Bassisto


Main Echo Hall


Noah played as more people entered. A dragon lady, Sidney if he recalls correctly, and leaned against a wall nearby listening. One was carrying in another who looked rather....drunk? As soon as they got close, the odor of alcohol, maybe some vomit, assault Noah's senses. He wrinkled his nose and almost made a scowl. Faltering slightly before recovering, Noah coughed a bit. Brogan, awoken from his sleep, acknowledged their presence and joked around a bit. Brogan joined Noah in song, weaving in notes and making harmonious melodies together. Smiling, Noah nodded to Brogan and played pizzicato (string plucking) occasionally to complement Brogan's melody. The halls filled with the music, creating a sense of belonging, joy, and warmth in Noah's heart.

 

[Shura]

Sidney Harper


Main Echo Hall Lounge


The smell of residual alcohol and vomit reached Sindeys nose causing her cringe slightly, it was not exactly a popular fragrance worn around the halls. Nor one that was very pleasant. She looked over spotting Kokoro along side one of the newer members she'd yet to really meet. From the books kept at the girls side Sid could tell she like to read or was studying something but didn't want to pry as to what. Sidneys eyes traveled back to the musicians on the couch smiling slightly as Brogan woke and shifted on the couch before starting to join in the the small practice session.


Sidney shifted Siren in front of her tuning her to a slightly higher key while her head bobbed ever so slightly to the music. Started playing softly letting the natural voice of Siren sing with out and kind of distortion. She slowly build in a crescendo to match the other two Vesper. Her fingers danced over the frets creating the notes and cords while her other hand gently pluck the steel string with her claws. The melody providing a middle ground between the two different instruments keeping an acoustic sound of string while still having a slight harsh edge.

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jax Henders


Walking towards the Main Echo Hall Lounge





Jax was silent as he lumbered towards the Lounge, his size making the boards underneath his feet creek as each step placing an unwavering amount of weight on each spot he decided to rest his feet. Already possessing a size larger than others, Jax wasn't helped by the gong he had on his back, the instrument certainly not relieving any weight with its heavy presence.


However, Jax paid no mind to any of these worries, his body as much too built for the Gong to be cumbersome and he had much experience walking down this way, so there was no need to be anxious over whether or not he would fall. Saying this, however, wouldn't mean that Jax would start skipping down the hallway with no cares in the world, yes that would certainly be something he would refrain from doing, for two reasons. One, that would certainly lead to him being stuck in the floor or falling to the ground of the lower floor, and two, he was not some little girl with flowers in her hair, regardless of how his sisters treated him when he was younger.


Shaking the traumatic thoughts of his past dilemmas out of his head, Jax continued on, his graceful tip-toeing looking rather bizarre on a giant panda. Yet, if anyone were to be there, the tip-toeing part would probably be the last thing they saw. First, they would be amazed at how the panda was wearing a silk blue shirt and countless beads on his arms, while his lower are was covered by a loose red pants that also seemed to be fine in craft. Jax sighed as he looked around, making note that he was almost to where he wanted to go, but halted at the sight before him.


Where as he was a Pandagem, which were genetically close to the Pandas, the creature before him were close to Bunnies. What were they called again? Lado...Lintodenero.....Liggenhoffer...Lagomorpcian! Yes, it was a Lagomorpcian! It didn't look very good either, with its swaying and pained gait, the muscles in his back tense, awaiting some sort of fall and preparing to lessen the pain as much as possible.


Tip-Toeing over to the swaying comrade, for only a fellow Vex would be in this hallway, Jax fluidly caught the being in his hands and lifted him up, unknowing of any other way to swiftly stop the bunny relative from hurting himself. Jax frowned as he smelled the intense alcohol surrounding the Lagomorpcian, his nose curling up in itself as he tried to keep the smell from entering his nose.


His people didn't drink much alcohol, they usually did only in the biggest of celebrations or special events, and the act of intense alcohol drinking was looked down upon as sinful. Yet, Jax digressed, it was obvious that the Lagomorpcian wasn't one of his own people, so he had to keep an open mind about things, even if that open mind was currently getting soaked by the disgusting aroma of whiskey. Looking at the dreary Lagomorpcian, the bunny half a foot off the ground due to Jax's show of strength, he asked, "Do you need any help?" The Lagomorpcian did seem to be going towards the Echo Lounge so maybe he could help him out, even if he was most likely going there to get even more drunk.


@LifeNovel

 

[khuyen]

Rue 'River Garder - Entering the Main Echo Hall


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
​

A velvety tune echoed through the walls of one of the smaller halls. This was Rue's favorite hall, as they had built a fountain here. It was perfect, for when she wanted to practice without having to turn on the showers or go outside. The tones from her blue saxophone seemed to grasp at the water, first with small ringlets, swimming across the surface, before finally lifting up a thin stream of water. The water stream danced around, and Rue had to focus a little bit more to make it dance and sway as she wanted. She could do this for hours, just sit at the edge of the fountain and play.


Suddenly with an abrupt stop, she lifted her head to check her wristwatch. Oh, shoot, I have been playing for hours. The last notes of her song echoed in the room, as she got up and swung her instrument behind her back. A fixed strap held it up and clung across her oversized, white dress. As she left the smaller hall-room, she could already hear the music from the Main Hall. With a small smile on her face, she made her way over there, always intrigued by the new songs they would come up with together.


She knew of some newcomers as well, that she had yet to see. Rue made it a habit of remembering every single one of the Vespers, even if they didn't know who she was. Having been there for over a year, she'd like to think most of them knew though. Right outside the main-hall, she saw the Pandagem and the Lagomorpcian. Jax and Kokoro, she noted in her mind. She stood for a little bit, contemplating whether or not to offer her help. With one look at Jax's strong figure, which easily towered over her, she figured she wouldn't be of much help anyway. Passing by them with a smile, she entered the Main Echo Hall, and was immediately hit by vibrating tunes as many Vespers gathered around, playing together. In the middle, she noticed the blond, playing wildly on his primadore, Brogan. She shook her head with a small smile. He was easily one of the most well-liked and respected Vespers, and she always found him in the center of such things.


Not wanting to interrupt to say hello, she floated around the small crowd of people, taking note of everyone who was there. Deciding to play with the younger Vespers, she made her way over to their rhythm game with a small bounce in her step. "River!" They greeted her excitedly and she waved back just as excitedly. With a content sigh, she plopped herself down on the couch in front of the screen. It's always so lively here...

 

[Procculus]

Suzume Nishizawa; Komuso


Solo Act of Emptiness
​

The clack of boots echoed slowly and rhythmically down the long corridor. With it came the sound of the wind, a melancholy tune that whistled around the walls. A young lady, hair of raven black, eyes of penetrating indigo, clasped within her fingers, a length of what resembled a bamboo culm with four holes piercing its front, and another on its rear, changing her fingering upon the holes every so often, its blowing edge placed at her lips, which in turn were pursed ever slightly to blow over the edge of the instrument that was supposed to be lost over the progress of time. Time passed, people changed, perhaps it was time to retire this instrument, thought the young lady as she meditated, walking down the hallway alone. Perhaps it was, but she knew she could not bear parting with her dearest belonging, and that she could not bear playing any other but this one. None of the other instruments had its light weight, and its flexibility to play virtually any pitch with a simple change in embouchure, its ability to change a song from a calm and peaceful one to one filled with hatred and malice with a single twitch of the lips and a shift of a finger. Sounds of music surrounded her, cascading around her like a waterfall, from all the rooms, directions, and people. All of them worked together as one, all of them producing a piece together, giant entities of music, daring, loud, powerful.


That was not the way of one of emptiness. A solo act forever more. She wondered, perhaps if there was a gathering of original Zen music instrument players, she could be part of them. A shamisen, perhaps. A koto and a biwa. That would make a perfect combination of the olden music, music from the land of the rising sun, music of peace and meditation, of relaxation. The young lady paused in her playing for a moment, cutting short of a note, and sighed. Then again, the new generation only wanted fabulous music. Music that shouted out to the crowd! Music that was noticeable, powerful, in-your-face! Who would want to sit around and listen to anyone play a repertoire that sounded like an eerie wind through the gaps of your windows? She inhaled, cleared her thoughts and started on her meditation once more, and continued to move forwards, past the rooms, the music, the…noise. She cleared all of it from her mind, paid no attention to those milling around her, except for the path she walked on and her playing. The chilling solo struck up again, only to be lost in the whirlwind of grandeur of the others.


Nishizawa, a lady who has discarded everything and taken up the art of the monks long gone to wield a power unlike any other. Magic through music. Sword in one hand, instrument in the other, she, who once walked down the path of destruction, now strode down a path of balance. Removal of one’s ego, be a part of the world, and yet apart from it. A life of solitude. The times of her life long past flickered in her mind’s eye. A trail of blood droplets cast into the air, her unsheathed blade outstretched, the light gleaming upon it, a man grasping at his wound, mouth open in a silent scream; her sword levelled on a man on his knees, its blade at the nape of his neck, the image flashed, she had lifted her sword high, and the setting sun threw a blood-red shine upon the sullied blade. She had left a trail of blood and death in her wake, a master-less swordsman, without a path to walk. Then she met the man named Vex. She now drew the sword at her side for a reason, and the reason was him. She will end this whole act by herself if she had to. To serve him was her reason for living now. He had given her a path to walk on, paved one for her, and she appreciated it. He would, however, need to deal with the times when she took her own route.


She found herself, as she returned back to the land of the living and cacophony, in the Main Echo Hall. She lowered her head as some of the other Vespers passed, as if to shroud her appearance with her own shadow. When the group of Vespers had disappeared from her sight, she made to look around the hall again. On one side of the lounge, a tall lagomorph humanoid stood, surrounded by what seemed to be a few worried individuals and a giant panda humanoid. The young lady strained to remember the names of both the individuals and their species, but she came up short. She’ll just mentally refer to them as Panda and Rabbit. Although her footsteps were far from silent, they were masked by the sound around her, and she made her approach on the group, curious about the affliction of the Rabbit. She came up behind the Panda, her small stature hidden by his large presence. Upon closer inspection, the Rabbit reeked of alcohol, an all familiar smell that she too, once had. Drowning her sorrows in the drink had been a past time of hers as well, until she took up her mantle as a pseudo-monk. By this deduction, she supposed the poor creature was suffering from what they called a 'hangover', caused from imbibing too much alcoholic beverages. She supposed she could just leave him alone to his friends. One needed to suffer for his own sins; one needed to learn the pain of his mistakes, namely over-consumption. She looked down at her shakuhachi, thought for a moment, before stepping to one side, and in front, sliding in between the Panda and whoever was beside him. "Sorry," she said, before putting the edge of her shakuhachi to her lips once more. A low note, a long and still tune, emanated from her instrument as she blew, her fingers pressed over the holes. A soft iridescent light surrounded the group, as she weaved her magic around them, a panacea for all ailments. It should help ease the Rabbit's sufferings a little. Probably. Her tune drifted softly away, and the light died. She gave an inadvertant piercing glare at the Rabbit, before immediately bowing down low, and retreating from the group. With a nervous laugh, she stumbled, and then disappeared behind the Panda. Her actions were not worth any thanks. She was only doing what should be done.


@LifeNovel


@DamagedGlasses

 

[Life.]

||Kokoro|| ~ Lingering in hallway to Main Echo Hall Lounge





Kokoro's ears and nose twitched as he scented and heard someone coming. Once he felt the presence right by him Kokoro's eyes shot up from looking at the ground up into the eyes of a Pandagem, but not just any Pandagem, it was Jax. "Oh hey Jax, buddy...what's up?" Kokoro tried to keep his cool but once more coiled over. Hearing the Pandagem's offer Kokoro responded, "Yes...please."


Kokoro's ears shamefully drooped down lower. He was aware of the Pandagem's values and lifestyle, at this moment he must seem like a scoundrel, scum, a low-life in Jax's eyes. He raised one of his thin arms up to the Pandagem's shoulder and clung onto it.





Kokoro's ears and nose twitched once more when he scented someone else approaching. Jumping a bit as suddenly a woman appeared in front of him, but he soon calmed down once he registered her tune into his mind. A slight shiver ran down him but he could feel some of his misery flow away. Kokoro opened his mouth right about to grant his gratitude when he was once more looking at air. He turned his head in search for her but decided that perhaps she didn't want to exactly be seen. He shrugged and leaned into Jax. "You wouldn't believe the mutts who tricked me into getting drunk! Said I couldn't do it! Those basterns! I'll get them!" The Lagomorpcian's fist was weakly lifted in the air as he shook it. He sighed and sagged his ark back down.


"Let's go buddy."

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jax Henders


Lingering in hallway to Main Echo Hall Lounge





Jax cocked his head at the familiarity in which the Lagomorpcian proclaimed with. He would be the first to say that he wasn't the most social of Pandagems, and he wasn't all that known for somebody he didn't eve interact with to know his name. Pulling the Lagomorpcian closer to his eye easily, Jax tired looking closer, breaking through the way the alcohol messed with his senses and made his eyes burn, Jax's eyes widened as he saw the familiar furry visage of Kokoro, a comrade he had spent a good amount of time with during his time as a member of the Vax. Letting his furry friend take refuge on his shoulder, a burden he was willing to take on for any brother-in-arms.


He was about to start forward, sensing his friend's need for a place to sit down, but was stopped as a stranger came and helped. As he and Kokoro had been lingering in the hallway, Jax had noticed the rather small amount of people pass them by, especially that familiar one that took the time to smile in their direction, but this one was lingering far longer than any curious observer.





Jax was calm as the girl pulled out her instrument, something he could instantly tell was made out of bamboo, a delicacy of his species, but he refrained from trying to eat the thing, knowing it would be a horrible thing to do. Due to his inaction, the lady was able to work some of her magic, literally, and seemed to help Kokoro with his extreme hangover. Jax tensed at the glare, but immediately relaxed as he saw her walk away without any conflict.


She must share his own distaste of alcohol, but they obviously didn't share the same open-minds or tolerance for those who partake of the corrupting liquid. His friend seemed to become more like himself as the girl left, leaving in a direction he was too turned away from to watch quickly. As his friend complained of the situations that lead up to his drunkenness and eventual hangover, Jax chuckled before starting to walk again, still helping his friend out, letting the words fall from his lips as he smiled with his furred face.


"I am sure you will, Kokoro. For now, lets go get you a seat, you're still not looking too well."


 
@LifeNovel

 

[Life.]

||Kokoro|| ~ Lingering in hallway heading towards Main Echo Hall Lounge





"I feel as alive as the sun!" Jack exclaimed before a fit of cough came over him. He cleared his throat from lingering aftertaste and some sticky saliva before restating his answer. "Yes perhaps I could use a seat..."


Involuntarily, one of his paws moved over to his back pawing around. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he felt the hard wood of one of his pipes from his bagpipe. He then grabbed the bagpipe with both hands and shuffled it a bit to make sure it stayed securely on.





Once he was sure that everything was on him Kokoro took one weak step forward and said, "Do you hear that tune buddy?" After the murky fog of his drunkenness was cleared up his ears were able to pick up the soothing melody of a Bach song being played in the Main Echo Hall Lounge. A shiver of excitement ran through him. "Let's get closer," he murmured as he took one more weak step before he had to place a paw against the wall for support. Turning his head back to Jax he gave him one of his cheeky smiles, "Perhaps you can waltz me down to the lounge?"





xXAdolanyaXx ~ Leaving library and walking towards Main Echo Hall Lounge





One of the aged, wooden, oak doors of the library creaked as a woman sealed it behind her. In one arm she was handling a pile of books while the other was checking the strap on her shoulder that was connected to her violin in its case. Today she was wearing her usual attire of a mossy green dress with poofed up vanilla sleeves all under a green cape. She retied the cape over her back before walking down the hall.


On her way towards the Main Echo Hall Lounge she spotted a small crowd huddled together close to a Lagomorpcian and a Pandagem. She was familiar with their names for she associated most members of Vex with names over her three week period. Kokoro and Jax, one close to high ranks and the other in the high ranks. The Lagomorpcian seemed troubled by something until one figure approached him and played a melody, one that soothed him. A slight smile crept up onto her face when she saw how livened up the Lagomorpcian was after the song. The familiarity between the Pandagem and Lagomorpcian was an odd one for her at least, since she came from a close-minded village. Adolanya was never a fan of their beliefs in her village which led her to Vex.


She was lost in thought until she saw the Lagomorpcian's ears rise up a bit. Closing her eyes to try to hear what he was hearing, she soon picked up a slight sound of music. Opening her eyes once more she saw the Lagomorpcian attempting to move on towards the sound. Curious as to what is exactly playing she decided to head down to the lounge.


 
@DamagedGlasses

 

[Snek]

Brogan continued playing in harmony with his fellow Vespers, but slowly quieted his keytar when a voice boomed off the walls, seemingly from all directions at once. It was a familiar voice, solemn but wise, yet it was one that they did not hear very often. It was the voice of Vex himself.


"Twin Spark, please assemble a team and report to the war room immediately for mission briefing. Class 3 mission, no professionals required save for yourself. That is all.


The last tones of Vex's voice echoed off the walls before vanishing as if blown on a breeze. Brogan smirked and holstered his keytar on his back, standing up from the welcoming comfort of the cushions beneath him and looking around at his current company.


"So, anyone up for a mission? Follow me if you're in for some action."


Without waiting to see if anyone would follow, Brogan promptly left the lounge and strolled down the hall towards the war room. He wondered why Vex had specifically requested him for the mission as he approached the chamber.


~


Vex paced the room impatiently, circling around a table with a map of the city and various pins stuck into it. His cloak fluttered around his form, shapeless like a dark cloud of fabric. He hummed an exotic tune to himself as he thought.


Suddenly the Vesper named Brogan entered the room, and Vex smiled beneath the hood that veiled his eyes from view.


"Welcome. Once everyone is here, we can get started."

 

[Noah]

Noah Bassisto


Noah slowly stopped playing as Brogan got up. Brogan had brought up the prospect of a mission. Something Noah hasn't done in a while. It would be nice to "get some action" as Brogan stated. It would also help him get some experience in the Vesper organization and practice his magic. Noah quickly put his bass back in his case before lugging it to the war room.

 

[khuyen]

Rue 'River' Garder - Heading for the War-room

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
​

"You lost!" Rue's face fell, as the text on the screen mocked her. The two younger vespers tried to contain their giggles. She had missed the last part of the song on the game, they were playing, having been busy listening to Vex's voice echo through the hall. She always wondered how he did that, made his voice transport to different locations. She would have to ask him sometime, but she knew, he probably would give her a vague reply.


She glanced over at the group in the middle of the room, as they all stopped playing. A class 3 mission, huh. They all seemed eager to go, she had caught the smirk Brogan had on his face, as he swiftly left the room, not bothering to wait for people to follow. Bass-man Noah was the first one to do so. With a cock of her head, she stared after the two. To go or not to go? An elbow nudged her in the ribs, ,and Rue looked at Caleb, one of the young vespers, she had been playing with. "You should go, River!" Rue blinked a bit, contemplating his words. "I guess I should. Why don't you go as well? You guys could use the practice..." The two boys grinned at each other and motioned towards the game on the screen, indicating they would rather keep playing.


With a slight eye-roll, Rue grabbed her instrument and swung it over her back once again, securing it firmly. "Off I go then..." Forgetting to bid the boys farewell, she weaved through the small crowd and out the room, quickening her pace just slightly to follow after Brogan. She had lost track of them though, but figuring they had probably headed for the war-room, she made it there. Entering the room, she stood a bit, observing the map and the pins. Vex stood before her in all his cloaked glory, seemingly waiting for the others, so she too joined them in waiting.

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jax Henders


Lingering in Hallway towards Main Echo Hall Lounge





Jax smiled a small bit as he reached out an arm and picked Kokoro up by the back scruff of his collar, lifting the Lagomorpcian into the air. Walking into the main Lounge and following the sound of music that caressed his sensitive ears, Jax smiled as he entered. Placing Kokoro down onto one of the chairs to the side of the entrance, Jax decided to refrain from sitting, and remain standing. It would do no one good if he were to destroy a perfectly good chair with his weight. Yet, before he could speak to Kokoro about him needing anything else, he was able to hear Twin Spark talking about some Class Three Mission.


Jax wanted to go, but he was willing to refrain from going if his friend was too hindered to. While strong when sober, Kokoro was almost as helpless as a baby while drunk, a state he was surely to get into with or without Jax's assistance. Looking to Kokoro once again, Jax asked, "Are you able to go Kokoro?" A part of him wanted Kokoro to say yes, and tough it out, but the part spiritual part hoped that he would say no, knowing that any other answer was probably just a lie invented to encourage Jax to go, regardless of his own personal health. Looking up, Jax noticed that many others were going, including the girl that had taken the time to smile at him and Kokoro in the hallway earlier. If he did go, Jax could show his appreciation. For any other, it wouldn't seem like much, but a simple smile was worth quite a lot in Jax's book. Even if he didn't give her a reward, he would still thank her at least.


@LifeNovel

 

[Shura]

Sidney Harper


Heading to the war room


Sidney stopped playing upon hearing the voice of vex and looked up reflexively even though she knew there would be no face to the voice. A new mission? She hadn't been on one in a while so it might be good to get out instead of spending her time training. She shifted siren so she rested at the dragons side and followed the other towards the war room. She spotted a few of the other who had decided to go, most of them experience vespers and wonders if the mission needed that many. Then again their was safety in numbers, the more allies you had to had to fall back on the better, especially when your manning the front lines. Sidney smiled slightly as they entered the room spotting their leader pacing around a table. It must be something fairly serious to cause him to look so pensive.

 

[AllHailDago]

Fuiji Niwazaka


War Room





Fuiji leaned on his cane in the war room, breathing lightly with his eyes closed. His mind was cleared as he waited for Vex and the other Vespers, meditating with light, rhythmic exhalations. In fact, he was so relaxed that one might think he was sleeping standing up. But only a fool would think, let alone say that about Fuiji. That would imply he's old or something, which would be a mistake. Yup, definitely meditating.


When Fuiji opened his eyes he found that he and Vex had been joined by several others already. He blinked his eyes a few times, clearing them of..... meditation. He looked from one face to another, nodding in approval. "Seems to me we will not want for volunteers, no Vex?".

 

[Life.]

||Kokoro|| ~ Lingering with Jax





Kokoro slumped down like a ragdoll when Jax picked him up. At this moment he cared not for people's opinions. When he felt the contact between his bottom and the seat he sunk in more enjoying the feel of something supporting him. He leaned his head back murmuring, "Thanks buddy."


His eyes were slowly beginning to close when he heard the sound of the music stop due to a slight wisp of Vex's voice. Twin Spark immediately responded to Vex along with several others slowly following after. His eyes were following them down the hallway when he heard Jax ask, "Are you able to go Kokoro?"





He jumped up out of the seat, filled with enthusiasm and answered, "What kind of question is that Jax?! Of course I can go! Who wouldn't want to go on a mission!" Filled with some spontaneous newfound strength, Kokoro grabbed Jax's huge, furry arm and tugged him towards the War Room barely moving him an inch. "Come along now buddy! We have a mission to attend to!"





xXAdolanyaXx ~ Lingering in hallway





Just as she was about to enter the lounge she heard the faint call of Vex. A few seconds afterwards she saw some Vespers heading towards the War Room. Out of curiosity and yearning to be on a mission, Adolanya decided to follow.


She felt excitement and anxiety. What if they didn't accept her for this mission? She decided to wait and see once she gets there. Not exactly knowing where the War Room was, she stalked after the dragon hybrid Vesper.

 

[Snek]

Vex smiled at his elderly companion.


"It seems not, my friend. It brings warmth to my heart to see so many disciples ready and willing to put themselves in danger's path for the sake of what they believe in."


The man coughed and stepped to the head of the war table, looking over all of his followers with eyes that flashed with power behind the shroud of darkness that covered them. The tone of his voice changed from casual chitchat to pure serious business.


"Greetings, brothers and sisters, and thank you for volunteering. This mission, as mentioned, is a Class 3. There is little risk of death, and it might not prove to be too difficult, but it is a very publicly-sensitive mission. You will most likely be making direct contact with younger members of Kromm society. Our target is a small Krommi private school, where those who show creative potential are often sent to separate them from society and teach them to suppress their talents. Your mission is to break and enter the school, access the official records, and bring them to me so that I may scout out potential future recruits. I urge each and every one of you to be on your most professional behavior. We want to send a good image to the young ones so that they do not see us as the enemy. You will not engage in combat except to defend yourselves, you will refrain from causing extensive damage to public property, you will not harm innocent bystanders, and under no circumstances will you kill anyone. If any of these regulations will be a problem for you, I suggest you take your leave now."


Vex crossed his cloaked arms and looked around the room once more.

 

[DamagedGlasses]

Jax Henders


Main Echo Lounge





Jax only resisted for a second, still slightly hesitant to believe his friend, but let himself be lead as he watched the high spirits he seemed to suddenly get into, his ears standing tall and his expression alight. As he walked down the hall, Kokoro in front of him, Jax chuckled in his rather deep voice, the baritone gesture of humor speaking for the way Jax felt about Kokoro's sudden transformation from a Hungover Drunk to an Excitable Kid, almost like it was Halloween. To be honest, Jax was also excited, it had been a while since he had the thrill of battle, and he wanted to give it a go. The last thing he needed was losing his grip on the special style of combat all Pandagem of his tribe were taught. It would be the greatest dishonor to have to go back to his tribe and relearn the finer points of the multiple stances.


Reaching the War Room, Jax avidly listened as the Vex described the mission, as well as the regulations and limits placed on it. He frowned to himself in contemplation as he thought over how he felt about the set rules. He could certainly follow them, it wasn't like he was looking for a bloodbath, but there seemed to be a low possibility for combat. Shrugging, Jax nodded, liking the idea of enabling the next generation to shine and polish their gifts, eventually becoming their own warriors and defending their fellow man.


Who knew? Maybe he was find some Modernized Pandagem there. While Pandagem were usually a tribal species, there were families from countless tribes that had felt it was proper for them to be in the modern sections. Most Pandagem looked down on these families, Jax once had too, but over the years, his experiences had changed him into being more accepting of their culturally unorthodox method of living out their lives.





@LifeNovel


@The Villain King


@Shura


@Procculus


@Noah


@AllHailDago