Fantasy Project ARK - In Character [LS]

[Reinhardt]

This thread will be used for IC scenarios involving LS Members exclusively.
Only participants with approved character sheets may post in this thread.​

POSTING GUIDELINES​

• Minimum post length would be a paragraph consisting of five or more sentences. One-liners will not be tolerated.
• Always include the character's name and their current location in your posts.
• If you are interacting with someone, or a number of people in a specific area, make sure to tag the players of these characters in your post.
• You are free to control and generate inconsequential NPCs. Alternatively, you may tag the GM for environmental interaction.
• You will be notified whenever dice or any similar RP mechanic will be utilized for a scenario.
• If you are uncertain about something, feel free to consult the GM.

 

[Reinhardt]

CHAPTER 1
A WILTING FLOWER​

LOCATION: DISTRICT GAEL​

DATE: QUIRTIA 28, AE 47

Whilst the rest of Gael's populace enjoyed the grand opening of the festivities, the vast majority of the Lotus Syndicate's members in Gael were partaking in a chaotic scrambling as they tried to realign their itineraries and regroup with their fellows.

An unexpected number of logistics issues had risen up to surprise the Lotus Syndicate's members who have melded in the district's populace - causing innumerable members to be misplaced, as well as their supplies to be lost, some even damaged. A huge blow has been dealt with the Lotus Syndicate's plans, putting them way behind schedule and causing a massive wave of discord that only worsened the situation.

Fortunately, their covers weren't compromised in the process, allowing them to continue their operations without being exposed to the public eye. And though there are still unresolved issues, they continue onward and never lose sight of the opportunity bestowed upon them - their ideals and beliefs granting them the push they need to go on and brave through the obstacles before them.

A message was sent to a select few, bearing the same instruction - to head to a specified location. A store just a few blocks away from Central Gael, bearing the name Pinktooth.

The building itself was rather old and seemingly run-down, with its stained walls and creaky wooden floors. The shop's electronic sign tells that it is open, though the text written on it is rather difficult to read due to numerous malfunctions in the sign's light sources. The interior didn't stray far from the exterior - it wasn't spacious at all, but should be enough to hold about ten people, maybe less if some of the wooden stools it housed started to fall apart. Displayed inside the shop is a myriad of candies and sweets, varying from big brands to obscure ones and even cheap knock-offs, stored within a reinforced glass chamber.

There appears to be no one currently manning the shop, but to those who enter, a feeling that they are being watched would be easily noticed. A sweet scent lingers within the store's premises, though it would seem difficult to tell if such came from the displayed treats, or from something else entirely. A small speaker set down on one of the wooden stools play out the music that would have been resonating throughout the streets of Central Gael, the only difference would be that it sounds a bit less refined due to some occasional static noises that the speaker gave off.

Tag/s: AnonyMouse , Spookyy- , StaidFoal

 

[AnonyMouse]

V a e t r i x

LOCATION: AN APARTMENT
IN DISTRICT ZERO

DATE: QUIRTIA 28th, AE 47
INTERACTING WITH:
none… yet​

“Bam! Just like that!” the chef said as he poured a healthy dose of red liquor into the skillet. The awestruck crowd emitted a collective moan of pleasure as a column of orange flames briefly wafted from the pan, before slowly withering away. He danced around the kitchen, dramatically flipping the sizzling steaks before returning the skillet to the burner. “Very nice! Very nice! Now we move on to the sauce while we let that simmer for a couple minutes…”

Vaetrix rolled her eyes as this scene played out on a cracked computer monitor. Her workspace was filled with over a dozen of them, some displaying the news, or code she was working on, or stock tickers, or random security feeds from around the city. Was it necessary to have all of this bombarding her at once? No. Was it efficient? Certainly not. But she liked it, the feeling of being immersed in streams of data.

She hadn’t come out of her lair since her encounter in Gael three days ago. As promised, she found Hana’s chef, ‘Guy Legend.’ Real Name: Greg Legosi. Occupation: celebrity chef. Skill in the kitchen: marginal, at best. He was a literal clown, from his spiky blue hair to his glossy white alligator boots. But, despite spending the last three days looking for a legitimate reason to hate the man, Vaetrix found none. He was clean. Obnoxious, overblown, and representative of everything she hated about celebrity culture… but otherwise, not hurting anyone.

And tonight, she would see him with her own eyes. He would be making a guest appearance at a dinner party in Gael. Some sort of fancy fundraiser with lots of VIPs in attendance, one of many such events riding the coattails of Gael’s festivities. Vaetrix doctored the guest list to include Hana. All the redhead had to do was show up and behave herself for an hour or so and she’d get her mystical Wagyu. She even went as far as adding herself and the boy as servers, though she wasn’t sure if he still wanted any part in this. Vaetrix called out from work for the last two days, so she could scope out the venue, acquire uniforms, craft cover identities, study the chef’s mannerisms, and habits, and every person who would be there. She had blueprints of the building. She checked and double-checked her weapons and equipment and created contingencies for her contingencies. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

For some reason, Hana seemed to believe this man’s cooking held magical properties. Whether it did or not was irrelevant. Vaetrix had given her word that she would bring Hana and this fool’s cooking together. That was the mission and it would go flawlessly. Nothing could possibly go wrong…

“And now, let’s move on to dessert,” the man on the screen said as he swaggered over to a mixing bowl of cake batter.

Vaetrix lifted her goggles and peered over the thin stream of smoke drifting off of her soldering iron’s tip and the completed circuit board beneath it. Her workshop was a scene of controlled chaos, a dark dungeon located in the bowels of a dilapidated apartment building. Her actual residence was located many floors above it, where ‘normal’ people dwelled. But down here, in this windowless hole where she plotted and schemed and prepared, basking in the sickly glow of computer monitors, surrounded by jury-rigged technology in various states of disrepair or construction, is where she truly felt at home.

A table covered in burner phones. A stack of hard drives. Various guns, rifles, and knives mounted neatly on the wall. Her manatech railgun, Hraesvelgr, lay on a metal workbench, partially disassembled for maintenance. A rack of spy drones, lined up like soldiers awaiting deployment. Vaults and safes of various shapes and sizes, some acquired purely for lockpicking practice, and some containing valuables. A spartan cot, with no bedding, in case she ever decided she required sleep.

Vaetrix wheeled halfway across the room in her favorite office chair until she arrived at her chemistry set, where she removed a canister of liquid metal from a centrifuge. She held it up to the light to ensure the contents had separated thoroughly, before using a syringe-like tool to carefully extract the bottom layer and inject it into specially-made shell casings. Her work was meticulous, her hands as steady as a surgeon’s… or a sniper’s.

“Mmmm, that’s right. I think it’s done. Go on and try it, you won’t know what hit you!” the blue-haired chef said with a big, stupid grin as he offered a spoon of cake batter to his lovely assistant. Somewhere off screen, the audience cheered.

Time marched on. Hours compressed into minutes. Vaetrix was calibrating her scope for what seemed the millionth time when her phone buzzed with a message. She did not flinch. She set the last crystal in place, tuning it with a slow twist of the screw until the complex array or lasers read dead center. Satisfied, she finally shifted her attention from her work to the communicator.

A frown creased her otherwise stoic features. Lotus. Of all times, why now? Why today?

She knew why, of course. Everyone in Gael knew why. Perhaps a better question would be ‘how dare you?’ Didn't they know she had other plans?

Pinktooth. Never heard of it. Already didn’t like it. Without lifting her eyes from the message, she wheeled back across the room, away from the weapons workbench and back to her wall of monitors, where her fingers danced across the nearest keyboard within reach, as if possessed by a mind of their own. A quick search revealed the address was in Gael, close to the city’s heart. A deeper dive revealed no security feeds close enough to scope it out from the safety of her lair. The nearest camera she had access to was about half a block away and aimed in the wrong direction.

They’re either lucky or smart, Vaetrix thought as she stood from her seat and paced for approximately 16.5 seconds, before pocketing her phone. Her mind was made up: she would go.

With an annoyed huff, she began to gather her toys. Chances are, these Lotus Syndicate goofs just wanted to wave their signs and spout their childish catchphrases on the busiest street corner they could find. Little did they know, Gael had no time for that shit. Someone with deep pockets and shallow patience would send in the goon squad and they’ll all be home or in a jail cell by lunchtime. Whatever Lotus had 'planned' --and she used that word very loosely-- she needed to ensure it was over quick and clean.

I’ll play along with it, for now, Vaetrix thought as she carefully compressed Hraesvelgr’s telescoping barrel into a padded duffel bag. With that slung over one shoulder and her laptop and some other ‘tools’ in a courier bag slung over her other, she headed toward the door. As long as this little detour was over before tonight’s appointment, what harm could come of it?

 

[StaidFoal]

Cedrix Drixton

LOCATION: ALLEYWAY TO PINKTOOTH DATE: QUIRTIA 25, AE 47
INTERACTIONS: Open
NEARBY: None​

Quite some time had passed since natural fear and instinct kicked in for Cedrix, leading to his swift escape from the Red Terror and his "neighbor," whatever the scary halfa meant by that. He'd darted through the streets as soon as a sizeable crowd filled following the news of Jaqueline West's concert. And now, it was as if nothing had happened; he was back at square one. When Cedrix scurried back to the dumpster, much to his delight, the bag of wallets remained.

Wouldn't Nayli be glad to see me, now! he confidently thought as he scooped the bag in his arms. But as he turned to leave the alleyway, something smashed against him like a truck, slamming the boy against the wall. The bag fell out of his arms as the air was forced from his lungs. The first thing he saw as his eyes readjusted was her.

"You idiot!" Nayli smacked top of his head, angry tears streaming down her cheeks through each wail. "I ran screaming for you through this scary place!" She pulled him away and slammed him against the wall. "I stood. On. A. Bus stop. To call for you! You should've seen me and—and—"

This was exactly why he preferred the company of danger strangers over going over to Nayli. "I'm sowwy..." he whined, holding his arms in front his head in self-defense.

"Y-You—"

"Leave it, Nayli."

Cedrix's eyes glimmered at the saving grace. "Meira!" he shouted, breaking free from his friend's grip and rushing over to hug the commune leader. As he wrapped his arms around her, she returned the soft hug, letting a soft smirk protrude on her countenance.

"You missed my speech," she blankly said, holding him in front of her by his shoulders. "Where were you?"

Cedrix tapped the tips of his pointer fingers together, glancing away. Even so, he felt her acute gaze dig further into his skull. "While getting money, I..." 'Spit it out' he pictured her thinking. One peek at her suddenly expectant frown and naturally wide eyes made his stomach twirl. "I ran into some people who wouldn't let me go..." Cedrix winced, expecting the worst if he explained about the "neighbor" and the Red Terror. It should've been fine if he left them out. It wasn't like he would encounter them again, right? "They were looking for someone that could give them food, and they let me tag along; I thought I could get free food with them so I stayed for a bit and—"

"Cedzislar Drixton."

The boy tensed up, forcing himself to make eye contact with Meira. Her dark, purple pupils widened and dilated, focused solely on him. Her grip on his shoulders tightened. "You cannot establish connections further than acquaintanceship outside of the Providential. Outsiders who act kind only do so because they see naïve fools of us. In the end, they will drag you through the mud and grime, abandoning you for their own self-serving desires." With a sigh, Meira backed down, releasing the boy. She put her hands over her heart, tilting her head down with closed eyes. "To be the victim of such an atrocity pits you in a pitch black void; the only thing you can feel in there is hate and despair. I can only thank my faith in the God of Order that I am still here, for without it, there would be nothing else in my mind."

Cedrix glanced to Nayli, who was just as stunned at the outburst. Despite living their whole lives under her, none of them really knew much about Meira. The commune leader continued. "We only have each other out there. If you got whipped away..." She grimaced. "I'd only have myself to blame. So don't ever put yourself in a position like that again. We can't worship the God of Order among a system of disorder."

Cedrix, who had his plastered, carefree smile knocked out of the park, faintly nodded. "I'm sorry... I'll be careful." His words came soft and languid.

Meira tilted her head to the side, smiling with her eyes half-closing, full of warmth. "Please do." She reached into a pocket, retrieving a cellphone—the only one within the entire of the Providential. "But I'm not here to chastise you. I received a message from the Lotus Syndicate. A meeting." She showed the boy the screen, motioning for him to write it down. "Cedrix, as our representative, it is up to you to attend." She then pointed further into the alleyway, where standing there was one of the more quiet and unnoticeable of the Providential's young members: Valria Idelle. Cedrix only wondered how long she'd been standing there for. "Valria shall be coming with you; strength in numbers and all that."

Cedrix obediently nodded, scurrying over to Valria's side as more of his energy returned. He abruptly took her hand despite a panicked squeal that erupted only because of how sudden he approached her. "Don't worry, Val! I'll protect you from the scary Lotus people!"

Meira looked back at her phone as she kept talking. "As for me, I have dirty laundry to take care of. We will be separating, and I trust you won't infract again?"

Cedrix straightened himself, jokingly saluting. "Yes ma'am!"

Meira let out a small chuckle. "Nayli, you're with me." With that, the commune leader walked down the alleyway.

Before it was all finished, though, Nayli ran over to Cedrix and Valria, leaning over to the nervous boy. "By the way, I could have sworn I saw you earlier around a tall, scary woman with red hair. It's very distinct. I feel like we've seen her before, haven't we? Now that I'm on less sugar, I'm remembering some things..." She nudged him with her shoulder.

Cedrix puffed his cheeks, realizing what she was doing again. He reached into his pocket, pulling out two wrapped pieces of hard candy; cold cash for the evil blackmailer, as he liked to imagine. Nayli giddily swiped them away as Meira called her back. Now she had another thing to hold over his head and his hard-earned morsels.

Valria tugged his sleeve, looking sheepish. "Does she always do that...?"

With a soft smile, Cedrix sighed, moving his hand on her shoulder. A tell that it was best not to dig on it. She quickly understood with an affirming nod. "Alright!" Cedrix yelled, free of the tense atmosphere. "Onwards! Towards salvation!" Dragging the quiet girl by her hand, Cedrix charged out the alleyway with repeated glances at his drawn map.




Cedrix and Valria were first to arrive at the rundown shop, engulfed in silence. To say Cedrix was disappointed by the meeting spot would be an understatement; with all the derelict sights in District Zero, he was ready for a fancy smancy meeting place. Valria didn't mind, though, saying things like "It's not as bad as it could have been..." or "At least some of the electronics still work..." And to her credit, she was absolutely right because it wasn't that bad.

Every negative feeling that downed the energetic Cedrix dissipated as soon as they entered. With the sweet scent in the air and the myriad of sweets lined up, it was a kid's literal dream as long as they looked past everything else. Cedrix took Valria's arm, shaking it rapidly with adrenaline despite the girl's frightened demeanor. "There's nobody else here, Val! Do you know what that means?!"

"W-Wha—?"

For the umpteenth time, he dragged her over, peering at a line of the sweets. He held a hand out as if to say "Tadaa!" which became "Take as many we can! Stuff it in your pockets or whatever! We've struck gold!" And before she could even decide on what to do, Cedrix dove into the stock.

 

[AnonyMouse]

V a e t r i x

LOCATION: ARRIVING IN GAEL
DATE: QUIRTIA 28th, AE 47
INTERACTING WITH:
StaidFoal ​

Vaetrix emerged from her basement workshop, pausing only to seal its numerous locks and security measures before slowly making her way down the dimly-lit corridor toward an aging elevator. As she stepped inside, a pair of mice scurried across the floor, illuminated by the flickering lighting, before disappearing into a tarnished grate.

While it wasn’t the most glamorous place to do her work, it was private. A breach decades ago had left the basement ‘structurally compromised.’ At least, that’s what a case file in the city records said. Upon inspection, she only found a few cracked support columns and a bad gas leak -- easily fixed. Most of the wear and tear and grime was due to years of neglect, not whatever creature had rampaged through here long ago.

Fortunately, for her, the building’s owners sealed the stairwell off with a concrete wall and deleted the basement levels from the elevator’s software, ensuring no one would ever come down here. Needless to say, she had no difficulty circumventing the later. Now, this place was hers to do with as she pleased.

District Zero was filled with such places, forgotten, abandoned, or rendered useless by the fighting of Remnants and beastly invaders from beyond the Wall. It truly was ARK’s derelict district and seemed to be getting worse as time dragged on. As the elevator doors rattled shut and the carriage began to ascend, creaking, groaning, and squealing as it laboriously climbed the shaft, Vaetrix leaned against the wall, feeling unnaturally contemplative today. She had lived in Zero for about seven years now, five of them squatting in this dank hole and the apartment she rented above it -- which was almost as dank, to be honest -- but never really stopped to wonder what it meant. When would it end? When would it change? If ARK truly is the last bastion of humankind, what does the gradual erosion of its barrier district herald? Shouldn’t the rest of the districts care?

They will, when it’s on their doorstep, she thought as the elevator opened and she stepped into the building’s lobby, which was little more than a dimly-lit hall leading out to the street. Such is the nature of man, nothing truly matters until it is all that matters.

She was going to write another manifesto soon. She could feel it coming, the rising tide which would inevitably spill onto a page or a computer screen.

But as she exited the apartment building, she was greeted by the distant sounds of men and women at work. Hammers, power tools, and the steady growl of a large engine as a construction crane toiled away.

“Hmm, so they’ve finally started,” Vaetrix thought, idly observing the work as she stood by on the sidewalk, with her hands buried in her pockets. It used to be a nightclub, but closed down nearly two years ago. The property changed hands half a dozen times since then, but no one did anything with it. A ‘coming soon’ sign for a wellness clinic had sprang up about six months ago, but Vaetrix figured that idea would fall flat on its face, like the others. Healthcare, in this shithole? As if that would ever happen…

“We’ll see,” she muttered under her breath as a taxi pulled up to the curb in front of her. As she ducked inside, she made a mental note to look into the matter more deeply. Why was a chemical company trying to bring cheap or free healthcare to ARK’s worst neighborhoods? She could think of a few reasons, none of them good. Perhaps her next target had come to her...

* * * * *​

Pinktooth was so unlike what she envisioned, she actually had to check the address to make sure she’d gotten it right. While Gael had its back alleys and rough parts of town --it was no Aria, after all-- she thought this district had standards and Pinktooth wasn't living up to them. Then again, maybe they were were going for the quaint 'ye olde shoppe' aesthetic and this was all intentional.

Leave it to Lotus to find the worst hole-in-the-wall, even in the ‘nice’ part of town, Vaetrix thought as she carefully, quietly, pushed through the doors, moving with the silent steps of someone used to infiltrating enemy territory, though Pinktooth's creaky floorboard thratened to betray her location with every move. Despite her initial impressions, she knew not to judge a book by its cover. She didn’t like the vagaries of Lotus’s instructions or the thought of venturing into this place blind and alone.

It was a candy shop, with enough variety to please both collectors and casual sweet tooths alike. With her courier bag and ‘luggage’ Vaetrix probably looked as much like a tourist as anyone else might. As she roamed the aisles, killing time and memorizing the layout, as well as consciously smothering her desire to turn tail and leave, her ears were met with the voices of children. To be expected, in a candy store. But one, in particular, sounded a little too familiar…

She was already frowning before she rounded the corner and came face-to-face with her old partner, Squirt, corrupting an innocent girl. "Take as many we can!” he said to his reluctant partner-in-crime. “Stuff it in your pockets or whatever! We've struck gold!"

“How about you… not do that,” Vaetrix said in the low, but calm tones of a disapproving mother figure. With a small sigh, she knelt slightly, to meet him at his level… not that she was much taller than them. “Pick one you like -- ONE,” She said, holding up a finger, “and I’ll see if I can find who runs this place, so I can pay them.” she rose and smiled… or tried to, but her face appeared to be frozen on ‘disappointed' or 'annoyed.'

“And you,” she added to the girl. “Pick two. That’s your reward for not listening to this idiot.”

 

[Reinhardt]

The calming silence that was once present in the arranged meeting place was swiftly broken by the arrival of two Type Ds - one of which was quick and reckless enough to immediately indulge in the urge brought by his sticky fingers, and plunged himself into the stash of sweets.

Normally, such a container would have been protected by an alarm, which would notify the nearest authorities of what was occurring, but no such sounds emanated from the case. Instead, it was the rustling noises of the innumerable wrappings of the sweets that collided with the boy's body as he sunk into the sea of treats - and yet, there was nothing that came after.

Well, that was until the third individual arrived - a Remnant with very evident Type B features, who reprimanded the boy with no hesitation, even offering to buy the two sweets, albeit with more favor on the other Type D which didn't follow her companion's actions.

At that very moment, the sweet scent that enveloped the store's interior swiftly faded. And as it did, a rugged-looking Remnant emerged from what was once empty space. Her skin was paler than the average Type A, and her somewhat disheveled hair was closer to silver than blonde. She was outfitted with a slightly stained white hoodie, a modified black turtleneck, with a small, black beret resting on the top of her head. For her lower garments, she donned on shorts of the same color, black stockings, and a random pair of stained sneakers.

"That's a shame.", she said revealing herself to the individuals within the store, as she removed a pink lollipop from her mouth. "I was just about to call the police and have him and his accomplice jailed."

She skillfully twirled the candy in her left hand, toying with the stick but never letting the treat touch the fiber of her gloves. Without changing her sitting position, the gaze of her pale, blue eyes immediately shifted towards the direction of the 'responsible' adult. "Still, my stash is a mess and I don't think buying a single candy or two would easily fix that."

"What do you say we let your kids earn their pay, miss?", she added.

Tag/s: AnonyMouse , StaidFoal

 

[StaidFoal]

Cedrix Drixton

LOCATION: DISTRICT GAEL DATE: QUIRTIA 25, AE 47
INTERACTIONS: AnonyMouse (Vae) Reinhardt (Lollipop Remnant)

​

The moment the recognizable, disapproving voice of Vaetrix entered the shop, Cedrix let the oodles of candy slip from his hands, utterly petrified. His head twisted like rusted iron as, lo-and-behold, there she stood. "W-W-What are you doing in a place like this?!" Did she stalk him after he ran away? Was she here to whack him?! His mom and dad were still at the Block! What would they think if he—

“Pick one you like -- ONE, and I’ll see if I can find who runs this place, so I can pay them.”

Huh?

“And you,” she added to the girl. “Pick two. That’s your reward for not listening to this idiot.”

"WHAT?" His life was important, sure, but this was just outrageous! He took a step forth towards Vae, brows furrowed. "One is not enough to keep Nayli from ratting me out to Meira!" He straightened himself, raising a finger in a 'matter-of-fact' manner. "My teacher tells us that 'if you find something and nobody is there to return it, then it's yours'! Everyone knows that." The finger then lowered, aimed at Vaetrix and her icy glare. Cedrix puffed his cheeks in turn to appear angry. "And I'm not dumb," he muttered. "I see through your ploy! Trying to bribe me with kindness just to drag me through the mud and grime, abandoning me for your own self-serving desires!" Though he spat that, Cedrix didn't look too upset or angry; proud, rather, that he remembered the recent teaching.

Valria, on the other hand, hid behind the more gregarious boy. Despite Vae's extra kindness shown to her, she nodded with Cedrix's reciting of Meira's lesson, maintaining her blank mien. "Not naïve," she added. Valria scratched the back of her neck. Tucked underneath her hood, she hoped the small recording device Meira gave didn't slip off (one with no sinister purpose, present because of her own absence; Meira simply didn't trust Cedrix's hands for it).

Whatever the two might've said next was interrupted by the sudden appearance of who they assumed was the shop owner. The eerie, disheveled look of the woman was enough to unsettle the Type-Ds. That, and her emotionless quips struck a chord in Valria. "We're gonna be arrested...?" She hugged herself, just about ready to dash out the building.

Cedrix hopped in front of her, donning his permanently confident smirk. "Don't worry, Val! If that happened, Meira would call Auntie Corvo to fix everything!"

She raised a brow. "Auntie Corvo can do that...?"

He rapidly nodded. "I heard Meira say that she was our fixer, so yeah!"

"Doesn't that make her a mechanic...? I thought Auntie told us she's a welfare—"

"No! Not just mechanical stuff!" Cedrix nearly lunged into her, making the quiet girl squeak out of terror. To his too-hyper self, the frightened look in her eye meant little to the ball of energy. "She calls her the fixer, so it's gotta mean she fixes everything!"

"O-Okay..."

Immediately after her reply, Cedrix spun around to the lollipop Remnant. "And don't think I didn't hear that! I'm not a kid! And my mama's over in District Zero, stuck in bed!" The boy's frustrated expressions only looked more and more like a bad-tempered cat each time. "You oughta know a lesson in respect... but mama would probably spank me if I did that so you're spared!" With an attitude churning back and forth at hasty rates, Cedrix grabbed the overwhelmed Nayli's arm, dragging her with him. He proudly presented themselves to the shopkeep. "We're from the Providential! Here in place of Meira Zarlow, who is busy!"

 

[AnonyMouse]

V a e t r i x

LOCATION: IN GAEL
DATE: QUIRTIA 28th, AE 47
INTERACTING WITH:
StaidFoal Reinhardt ​

Vaetrix merely shrugged innocently when the little thief asked what she was doing in a place like this, fighting back the temptation to ask him the same. While she was aware his group had ties to the Syndicate, the thought of them summoning him was rather amusing -- maybe even a little insulting. Either they thought very highly of this boy or they didn't think much of her. Then again, in typical Lotus fashion, maybe they simply screwed up and contacted the wrong operatives.

Maybe I should just go, Vaetrix thought as she rested on her haunches, weathering the storm of words. She began to seriously contemplate doing so as the boy continued giving her an earful. Something, something, 'not enough candy.' Something, something, 'Nayli's a blackmailing snitch.' Something, something, 'stealing people's stuff is okay.' There were finger wags and puffed-up cheeks. He was really getting into this! Somewhere in the midst of it all, Vaetrix realized she had begun to involuntarily roll her eyes at the poor boy, despite his heartfelt pleas. But the real twist-of-the-dagger came when she noticed the other girl nodding along with the stream of nonsense spewing from his mouth.

"You both need better teachers... not that I'm one ot talk," Vaetrix said softly, clearly pitying the boy and his friend as she stood and adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder. The exit was calling her name. Coming here was definitely a mistake. But, just as she began to turn, she noticed a change in the air, particularly its scent. Cedrix and his friend were discussing something and appeared to be completely oblivious to it, but Vae's body tensed, her stance readied to fight or flight.

Too late.

The 'enemy' materialized before them, as if she had been there all along. In Vaetrix's mind, any stranger who gets the drop on her is an enemy until proven otherwise. Logic suggested she was probably just another Lotus Syndicate operative -- an ally. Logic suggested she didn't pose a threat -- she was seated, relaxed, had a lollipop in one hand, and an overall appearance which suggested a lack of physicality or close-combat prowess. Everything suggested she came in peace or, if she didn't, could be pacified with relative ease.

But, despite her best efforts to be an efficient machine of pure logic, Vaetrix was still a creature of instinct, shaped by years of hard life in assymettrical warzones were everything was a weapon and everyone an enemy. Every instinct told her to remain alert. While the target engaged with Cedrix and Val, she paced a small patch of real estate, silently studying this woman's movements and words the way one might study a cow on the roof in a flood: how did it get there and what the hell is it going to do next? She remained this way until the woman's attention shifted to her.

"...My stash is a mess and I don't think buying a single candy or two would easily fix that," the woman said as her soulless eyes fell upon Vaetrix, who found nothing of strategic value in them. "What do you say we let your kids earn their pay, miss?"

Her stash? So, we're on her territory. I see... So many questions, but it seemed best to establish a heirarchy first, before proceeding. "Depends. Who's paying?" Vaetrix asked, her tone strictly business, devoid of warmth, but equally devoid of hostility. "You?"

 

[Reinhardt]

The woman was about to respond to the seemingly older Remnant, but the sudden outburst that the Type D boy made her hold her tongue for a moment. He very fervently expressed his thoughts and unveiled some of his personal info, to which the woman reacted rather indifferently, not even raising an eyebrow at the boy's words. However, it did help with her assessment of the current situation.

"Cultists from Zero. That explains a lot.", she nodded lazily. "Don't really see what you folk offer towards the cause of Lotus, other than basic manpower - then again, one can't really run short of that."

Her gaze, then, shifted to the other Remnant.

"In that case, I assume you're here as their chaperone? Or perhaps you simply got dragged into this by the word of Lotus's higher-ups?", she took out a small device from her pocket, and casually took a peek from what it displayed - time. "Whatever the case, it looks like my shop's been chosen as a meeting ground without my word..."

She pointed towards the two Type Ds. "...and you - well, little mister here has made a mess. It'd be good for you to clean it up before the others arrive, at the very least, you'll get to prevent being embarrassed in front of others beyond us four."

The woman took another look at the device, then swiftly shifted her gaze to the entryway of the shop, and finally placed it towards the 'adult' Remnant. "If you're not gonna help cult-boy here, I suggest you take a seat. I have a feeling that whoever arranged this meeting won't be arriving soon enough."

She popped the candy back in her mouth, as her eyes casually but intimidatingly swerved to meet the two Type Ds' gazes as if subtly telling them to do what they've been told and avoid some unwanted trouble.

Tag/s: AnonyMouse , StaidFoal

 

[AnonyMouse]

V a e t r i x

LOCATION: IN GAEL
DATE: QUIRTIA 28th, AE 47
INTERACTING WITH:
StaidFoal ​

"Cultists from Zero. That explains a lot," the woman replied after the flustered type-D explained why he was here. "Don't really see what you folk offer towards the cause of Lotus, other than basic manpower - then again, one can't really run short of that."

Vaetrix's indifferent features momentarily, fractionally twisted ever-so-slightly before returning to her typical neutrality. She actually agreed with the woman, but something about hearing it spoken aloud sent a brief flash of anger resonating through her soul. However, she suppressed it just as quickly as it had come. Lotus had many strange bedfellows, so the woman's words sounded a little too much like the pot calling the kettle black. But the thought was gone as quickly as it had come, for the woman soon returned her attention to the avian type-B.

"In that case, I assume you're here as their chaperone? Or perhaps you simply got dragged into this by the word of Lotus's higher-ups?" she said as she retrieved a small device from her pocket.

"I neither confirm nor deny any such associations with either party," Vaetrix said, sounding as if she had spoken these exact words countless times before in countless scenarios. Her plan off attack in these situations was very simple: Gather information. Give none in return, unless it allows you to gather more information. This strategy had served her well in the past.

She briefly considered using her regalia to ascertain the contents of Candy Girl's tech and gather intel, but immediately decided not to. Though the chances of being discovered were slim, invasion of privacy could be perceived as a declaration of war and invitation to engage in an exchange of physical force, rather than the mere exchanging of words and posturing going on presently. By this time, Vaetrix was fairly sure the woman wasn't an enemy, merely an ally of questionable motives, abilities, and ideals, so crossing that line was off the table... for now. Though she made a mental note that the option existed, should the future take a turn for the worse.

"Whatever the case, it looks like my shop's been chosen as a meeting ground without my word..."

"That is unfortunate," Vaetrix said dryly, fully aware that her blatantly false sympathy was probably more hurtful than saying nothing at all. By this time, she had stopped pacing and looked slightly less cagey than she had at the outset, but still taut as a compresed spring, ready to explode into action at any moment. Then again, she always seemed that way. 'Relax' was simply not in her vocabulary. The rare moments when she appeared relaxed or fully open to an attack was usually just a trap to catch someone off-guard... which is probably what Candy Girl is doing right now!

"...Little mister here has made a mess. It'd be good for you to clean it up before the others arrive, at the very least, you'll get to prevent being embarrassed in front of others beyond us four."

Others? Vaetrix thought as the woman's gaze shifted toward the shop door.

"If you're not gonna help cult-boy here, I suggest you take a seat. I have a feeling that whoever arranged this meeting won't be arriving soon enough."

The subtle warning in the shopkeeper's pale blue eyes as she looked at Cedrix and Valria was all the evidence Vaetrix needed. She definitely wouldn't be relaxing any time soon. "No... I think I'll stand, thank you," Vaetrix said, keeping the young lady and the door within her field of view. After a brief pause, she dared to go a step further: "Although I am not their guardian, I do believe cleaning up one's messes to be a virtue worth pursuing. However...." Her eyes briefly drifted around the shop, as if emphasizing their cluttered and aging surroundings, "I think, perhaps, you might consider tidying up before these 'others' arrive. Then again..." she shrugged, "walking into a mess would be par for the course for Lotus, don't you agree?"