Futuristic [Archived] VOIB_ARC1_PART2

[TerrorKitty]

Vanguards of the Imperious

Vextress (Vex)

Alba Vex Von Wolfenstein

IMPERIUS CITY, ELESRITH

Alba could immediately tell that mentioning the research Cecilia had a hand in conducting wasn't bringing up any happy nostalgic memories. The look on the other Woman's face said it all. There wasn't any need to dance around the subject matter. If they were going to fight together and wanted to make it back home alive, they would had to understand each other; at least that's what Alba believed. "Thank you, but holding a stalemate wasn't going to neutralize the enemy..." She looked away for a moment, letting her shoulders drop, a slight hiss coming from her body as she relaxed from the tall imposing posture she kept so effortlessly. Something rather unusual while around others the cyborg wasn't familiar with.

"Inacre Int-... House Wolfenstein is no stranger to the practice of pushing limits.." Alba's eyes met Cecilia's for a moment more, before looking back down at her own body. "I can't even tell you... H.. How many surgeries I've had since I was barely a few months old... And after the bridge my body was in such disrepair that most of my non-organics had to be refurbished or replaced." There was an awkward silence as the pink haired girl looked for the right words, gritting her teeth, trying to calm down the rage that had been trying to surface for who knows how many years. However, she didn't want to make things too uncomfortable with her personal history and grudges. "But.. Yes." Alba smiled lightly, lifting her head. "I did hold my own. Still, I would hope be much more useful in our next mission." She said followed by a deep breath to help calm herself down.

It was then that Alba shifted her focus to the newbies. Something one of them, Selena; codename: Retten; had said that didn't sit right with the cyborg. Her senses went beyond the average Exahlian, even including a multitude that were unique to her. Whispering didn't do much to hinder overheating the conversation Retten had with Valkyrie. "It's no. Test. Even the most mundane missions should be taken with the expectation that your life is at stake." Alba said directly to Selena; still she didn't want to come off too harsh or rude.


Interactions: Emiya Shin (Cecilia), Admiral19 (Retten), SleepySheepiez (Valkyria),

Code by Serobliss

 

[lunar_moth]

Vanguards of Imperius

V. planifolia

Lusia Feodora Fair

Imperius City, Elesrith

Lusia can’t help herself but to feel a pang of fondness well up within her, laced with something a bit bitter, as she lets her eyes follow the reserve group gathering. The lady in white regrets not wearing any other colour; she feels like a bad joke, like she’s dressed up as the mourning bouquet. Though she’s not quite old enough to be any of those girl’s parents, still, the feeling lingers; that there is only so much that their timid, benevolent demeanours will live through before they’ve seen too much to be anything but a soldier, in the deepest of ways. Like her.

Like them, she corrects, as her gaze drifts back to her own teammates. Though Lusia kept to herself most often, she had, of course, made minimal notes in her mind about each of her associates. Vextress was young at (mechanical) heart and fought with the passion of a spitfire; still, her struggle to find a place amongst the rest of her flesh-and-blood peers was evident, and Lusia suppresses a cringe watching Caesarea struggle to regain her footing in their conversation.

Caesarea, of course, had earned her respect already: if nothing else, the pursuit of knowledge was something she could never dare begrudge, no matter the method of obtainment— ruthlessness, as far as she is concerned, is only a blessing for some, especially those who are dealt an unfortunate hand by life in the first place.

None of her business what the two of them spoke about, though. Vextress quickly closes that thread of conversation; she shifts focus to talk to the other new recruits. In the wake of the opportunity, Lusia sidles over to the drink bar and pours herself a tepid mug.

She lets her eyes drift over to catch Caesarea’s, should she be looking. And she lifts her drink in a facsimile of a toast, bit of a wry smile ghosting her lips: a toast, her eyes sparkle to say, to the ones who have made it against all odds — we do what we must at the time, and we can only hope the rest of our lives is enough to make up for it.

Novelight Panther Khocolatte Emiya Shin TerrorKitty SleepySheepiez Admiral19

Code by Serobliss

 

[Emiya Shin]

Imperial Security Directorate

Cecilia Ravenholm

Disillusioned Defender

Imperius City, Elesrith

Cecilia listened to Vex's words, as she revealed a little bit about herself. The female cyborg also expressed that she was not satisfied that she could only drive the terrorists away, rather than subduing them. Despite her rather extensive modifications that is probably on par with Empyria's military factions, it seemed that Vex is kind of... insecure about herself? The white-haired Demonoid merely rubbed her chin, after the pink haired cyborg had to calm herself down. That sudden encounter at the Grand Imperius Bridge somehow made her doubt her own abilities. Then again, if the current ongoing crisis can be resolved with local forces, surely this special task force will not be formed, and Cecilia is probably doing paperwork back in Aucteraden.

Cecilia changed her focus to Lusia, when Vex decided to interact with Retten and Valkyria. She was not sure what did the pair did to attract the cyborg's attention, but she decided to leave it be. The white-hair Demonoid moved towards the female Exhelian in white, shortly after Lusia did a toast to her.

"Any thoughts on this gathering, Miss Vanilla? Oh wait, can I call you that? Vanilla Planifolia is kind of long." Cecilia decided to interact with Lusia, in a rather informal way. "I apologize if I disturb your me-time. The last thing I want is standing by my lonesome, looking like some lost child."

Novelight Panther Khocolatte lunar_moth SleepySheepiez Admiral19 TerrorKitty

Code by Serobliss

 

[lunar_moth]

Vanguards of Imperius

V. planifolia

Lusia Feodora Fair

Imperius City, Elesrith

To her own surprise, a laugh bubbles out of Lusia’s throat, warm and melodic. She ducks her face and holds her drink up a little higher, ineffectively trying to hide her growing blush.

“Go ahead and call me whatever you’d like. I can certainly understand the hesitation— to be honest, when I was asked to select a name, I wasn’t aware it was meant to be a codename for regular use on the field, and not an honourary title for special situations,” she explains (on behalf of her player, who didn’t realize she was supposed to pick a codename and not just a fancy title for her character sheet until it was too late to change it), and then brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. Caesarea’s response certainly was not what she expected; really, Lusia had expected professionalism and a little bit of frigidity (not that she could judge— she herself certainly came off the same more often than not), but instead, Lusia is only reminded of another young woman with white-blonde hair and a sharp humour. The wave of longing that hits her nearly bowls her over; suddenly, she misses her dear sister incredibly badly.

Lusia swirls her drink in gentle circles in front of her face. She peers down into the foamy bubbles that cling to the sides of her mug. The steam rises up to her face and when she blinks, her eyes remain cloudy.

“And don’t apologize for anything of the sort,” she tacks on, almost absentmindedly. “We’re meant to be a team now, aren’t we? Surely it’s in all of our best interests to learn how to get along together.”

She lifts her gaze from her cup and flicks over to meet Caesarea’s.

“To answer your first question… I can only hope, for everyone’s sake, that this mission is incredibly boring and straightforward,” Lusia tells her, letting her lips twist into a wry expression.

Emiya Shin

Code by Serobliss

 

[Emiya Shin]

Imperial Security Directorate

Cecilia Ravenholm

Disillusioned Defender

Imperius City, Elesrith

Despite her initial aloofness, Lusia is actually approachable. It was just that the current gathering required everyone to be formal and strict. After all, this is a mission briefing, but done in a cafe. As Lusia answered her questions bit by bit, Cecilia grabbed a stool nearby, and sat down in front of her. Seeing that the others were still occupied mingling with each other, the Demonoid thought that she should just socialize with Lusia, even with just a little bit.

"Hahaha!" Cecilia did brief laughter when Lusia hoped that their next assignment would be very boring, and as straightforward as possible. "You have a point, actually! If that's the case, we can go back unharmed, and perhaps have more time for ourselves. And oh, if you find my codename a bit mouthful, just call me Rea. Sounds much cuter than way, to be honest."

lunar_moth

Code by Serobliss

 

[SleepySheepiez]

Imperial Security Directorate

Valkyria

Elizabet Van der Lucht

IMPERIUS CITY, ELESRITH

"Well that does go without saying now Vex, does it not?"

Elizabet is surprised at the interjection by the odd, yet graceful, cyborg, but she certainly isn't going to just stay silent in the conversation now, is she? Besides, even if Vex is only speaking directly to Retten, the heiress still feels some sense of responsibility for bringing up the topic in the first place. The other girl had only been agreeing with her, playing along so to speak. Deep down, Elizabet was sure they both understood the gravity of the situation.

And,
of course,
the cyborg's interruption had cut off the upbeat answer she had been meaning to give to Retten.
That just wasn't very fair now, was it.
For the record, she did think it was all down to Gundahar, if at all.
The operative from the other team's reaction all but confirmed it.

Does this reveal that Vex is nervous herself?
Perhaps I am reading too far into the act...

The girl analyzes Vex once again with a huff. It's a habitual move for her, though the intensity of her gaze is perhaps a little more apparent than usual. She folds her arms across her chest. The cyborg might be much taller, but you wouldn't think there was any noticeable height difference at all from the way the blonde was carrying herself. To Elizabet, Vex had refreshingly broken the ice of courtesy to start up something new: a conversation with a little adversity. To someone so pent up with unspent energy, this was an unexpected yet welcome outlet, and she was eager to pursue.

"I would say that even the most dangerous of missions can be used as a way of testing the untested, can they not? I am sure you have heard of the term 'trial by fire'. In fact, I would say your own first outing on the bridge might have been much the same. An excellent method of reviewing the skills you bring to the table, so to speak. There could be no better test, yet no test could be riskier."
Elizabet's fingers have set to tapping along her forearm, some of the crackling adrenaline finding a way out. She lets her head tilt playfully to the side as she tries to get a better read on the lady of house Wolfenstein.

"But I do not suppose you share our excitement, Vextress."

Interactions: Novelight - Panther - Khocolatte - lunar_moth - TerrorKitty - Admiral19 - Emiya Shin

Code by Serobliss

 

[Novelight]

Valorous Order: Volume 1 (True)

Story Chapter

Silence Before the Storm

Thread 1-1: Time Skip

Novelight Panther Khocolatte lunar_moth SleepySheepiez Admiral19 TerrorKitty

The night passed with relatively no discomfort until morning came, initiating the inception of the operation. The team would be divided and formed into two groups for the sake of achieving different objectives, leaving no room for mistakes. And so, the 5-day process continued without much trouble, the first team infiltrating ports and investigating the city’s underworld. In contrast, the second team operated on the surface, surveying the capital for possible conflict. Luckily, no trouble arose for a significant period of time. Aside from having to conjoin the two parties near the fifth day to help capture a fleeing target, the operation was rather peaceful, as no significant harm was inflicted on any of the operatives involved.

The operation was not fruitless, however. Instead, they made discoveries that could potentially help them in their future endeavors once the team departed to Aucteraden. With the successful captures of a high-ranking member of the Golden Path and an enigma from the Sindalone Organization, their arrests were followed by interrogations that would leave them with a sense of direction, much unlike the previous investigation which was left blurry.

• The Sindalones were selling weapons not only to the Golden Path but to other terrorist organizations prominent in Elesrith, going against their usual modus operandi. Investigation suggests that a change in leadership had altered their business ethics, but this has not been confirmed.

• Most of the weapons sold had their serial number extirpated, making it impossible to locate the exact manufacturer. However, the pistol belonging to the higher-ranking officer was the Kurian N-45, a standard pistol manufactured only by the Kurian Enterprise, a massive corporation that produces ballistic weaponry for the empire. An investigation was followed afterward by the Elesrith ISD and suggests that there exists a corrupt executive who is supplying the Sindalone Organization.

• A small amount of ‘Vicarius Dust’ was found in hidden storage. This discovery was reported to the ISD and it is believed that a large-scale provincial investigation will follow suit in the coming days.
An invitation to the Northern Coalition Anniversary was sent to everyone involved, allowing them to make their presence known in the Emperon Palace as honorary guests. Vanguards would be called to help organize the event while the others remained in the bar.

With their operation done, the teams regrouped and had a day for themselves, resting for the event that was to emerge tomorrow.

Thread 1-3: Time Skip

Novelight Panther Khocolatte WinterFestivity voided Purity OverconfidentMagi

Their first and second raids resulted in failure. Unable to capture the priority targets—Temperance and Yuxiong—the operation ended when the Yakuza prevailed in each and every attack, proving their renowned tenacity for survival. However, the operation was not ineffective, as several revelations were discovered that helped the ISD identify more and more storage within the sector. These discoveries lead to the mass arrest of Yakuza members and the confiscation of goods that were sent to the mainland for analysis. Although their primary targets would escape the binds of the handcuffs, it was enough that they at least made their business conduct much more difficult, thanks to their arduous efforts. However, they would certainly know that this wasn’t going to be their last time dealing with the Yakuza.

Suspiciously enough, contractual agent Yaksha, whose real name was Kyouka Yamaken, was nowhere to be found after the second raid. Having seemingly disappeared from the face of the sector before the operatives returned from their raid, her digital payment was frozen by the ISD for having deserted the contract, taking only half of the front payment that was given before the operation that was paid to build trust. From her desertion came problems that the team would have to mend using their own tactics, but it was still detrimental that they lost their information broker that had managed to locate Yuxiong and her assets. With her absence, the operation only grew more difficult. But regardless of the unfortunate and mysterious loss of the Katsuragian, the operation was not greatly hindered.

Agent Tianshu and Agent Celandine were transferred to their respective stations prior to the operation, especially after Qinglong was capable of proving her innocence through her actions. Still suspicious of her possible betrayal, the Director did not release the decree, however, and instead attached her to the other agents that partook in the operation in Sector Twelve, locking her partnership with Erebus, Blackbird, and Aria. The quartet would soon find themselves before the Director once more, this time at her office in Sanguinum, receiving their next orders.

“Your performance at Sector Twelve proved your capabilities as agents of the Imperial Security Directorate. You have no reason to anguish about the overall failure of the operation. It was the expected outcome. But despite my low expectations, you have proven to be quite effective. Congratulations are in order.” The Director clapped with what seemed to be a genuine smile. “Anywho, the past is meaningless now. You four are to form an official team under the name ‘TAS-401’. The name holds no significance; it is merely for the sake of documentation. Now, about your first operation as a four-man team…”

Thread 1-1: Official

The Northern Coalition Anniversary is a provincial exclusive celebration that takes place in the northern region every year, on the 18th of August. On this day, the provinces Elesrith and Volcrest would enter their holiday break, celebrating their honest alliance and solidarity between the two northern provinces. While it was exclusive to the north and the holiday was not official in the other provinces, the event was significant enough to invite several important individuals across the world to exchange gifts, including the Collbrandes, offering them a spot as a guest to the event.

Each year the celebration would either take place in the Emperon Palace in Elesrith or the Dragunov Castle of Perfectua in Volcrest, depending on who hosted it the previous year. As the last celebration was held in Volcrest, this year, the honors of preparing for the party were in the hands of the Elesrith officials such as the Vanguards and the Collbrande’s retainers, leaving no room for error.

Of the many that were invited to attend, the following invitees have accepted the invitation:

• The Collbrande of Volcrest, Novaskaya Krovoza, has confirmed their attendance.
• The Collbrande of Aucteraden, Draigh Kaiser, has confirmed their attendance.
• The Collbrande of Anterås, Luria Cineris, has confirmed their attendance.
• The Collbrande of Katsuragi, Nozarashi Amaterasu, has confirmed that they will be sending a representative for social affairs.
• The Symbol of Revelation, Zephyrus, has confirmed their attendance.
• Izuna Kurian, the CEO, and founder of Kurian Enterprise has confirmed their attendance.

With the preparations set and the clock reaching its twelfth hour, the day of celebration began when midnight struck.

 

[Novelight]

Kriegsheld Cadre

Gundahar

Dietrich Lexcher

Vanguard Lobby, 3rd Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius | August 18, 709 EC

The halls of the Emperon Palace gleamed with brilliant lights from the decorative chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, which illuminated the room with an exquisite golden hue and reflected Elesrith’s national colors of gold and red. The maroon carpets paved a road for the guests to get themselves to the vast ballroom located at the center of the palace, where the majority of the important figures stood with their wine glasses to discuss societal matters with allies and adversaries, nobles and commoners alike. The place was filled with those who stood at the top of the hierarchy, where only a select few could stand due to their pride and noble blood. The women wore formal dresses that showed off their clear skin, with nobles showcasing their glamorous Exousiarch marks located on their revealing upper backs. The men wore tuxedos and vests that hid their Exousiarch, but from their stance and ornaments alone, one could tell that they were nobility.

Dietrich entered the palace alone without a partner to accompany him, wearing a black business suit and tie, the golden standard combination that required not much effort. The bandages that were wrapped around his left eye were removed for this special occasion, leaving a closed eye to be stitched using invisible tapes that held it close. He wasn’t dressing to impress anyone and it would be obvious to anyone who saw him outside of his usual attire. Despite being asked to choose from the palace wardrobe that contained thousands of unique options, he went for the bare minimum for the sake of not having to stand out, preferring to speak only to those who he was familiar with. But even so, he would be met with several nobles who recognized him and attempted to strike up a conversation. From personal interests to the occasional romantic hints that were common for nobility to partake in, he merely smiled and nodded in response to their words, and walked forward, later claiming that he had an important member to greet.

With the clock closing into its seventh hour, Dietrich repeatedly checked his watch and made his way to the upper levels of the palace, where he would be met with Sinaria and everyone else from his previous group (1-1) as well as a new set of members (1-3).

Dietrich glanced at the new batch, having not met them prior due to his short absence. According to Syriel, they should have arrived no less than an hour ago and been escorted by Hildegard before she departed to tend to the guests. He inspected them closely, but nothing was to be gained yet. All he knew was that they were a task force sent by the direct orders of the Director of the ISD. From that alone, he expected those above-average skill level.

“Refer to me as Gundahar from here on out. I am your squad commander for today and for the rest of your operation. It’s a pleasure.” He nodded to the four members, expecting to converse with them shortly. “I imagine you’ve all exchanged greetings. In that case, I shall continue with today’s briefing.” He cleared his throat.

“The Collbrande of Anterås arrived no less than ten minutes ago. She will greet Lady Bismarck first before she enters the ballroom with the other Collbrandes, from what it seems. Which gives us plenty of time to enjoy ourselves for the evening.” Dietrich announced to the occupants in the room, their eyes and ears focused on him after waiting for his arrival. “This will be your last day in Elesrith. I would’ve liked to have viewed the scenery more, but I’m afraid we’ll be moving to Aucteraden tomorrow morning with Lord Kaiser.”

Sinaria spoke after Dietrich, “The Vanguards here will follow the Kriegshelds to their homeland. I’m certain you girls will behave yourselves just fine. As for me, I’m afraid I must remain here to look after the palace for Lord Aldous’ absence in the foreseeable future.” Sinaria lays her hand on her chest, a faint smile appearing on her face. “This could be a great time to practice my inevitable promotion once Lord Aldous retires from duty.”

Dietrich nodded, “It seems you’ll be occupied with personal matters, Miss Morphus. The rest of us will have roughly two hours before we must make ourselves known before the Collbrandes. Feel free to roam the halls and speak to anyone you desire. We will rendezvous on the fifth floor five minutes before the ninth hour. I would recommend staying away from alcoholic drinks until then.”

Panther Syriel | Khocolatte Euthalia | lunar_moth Lusia | TerrorKitty Vex | SleepySheepiez Valkyria | Admiral19 Retten
WinterFestivity Qinglong | voided Erebus | OverconfidentMagi Blackbird | Purity Aria

Code by Serobliss

 

[voided]

Imperial Security Directorate

EREBUS

HIKARU FUKUI

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

First operation, with the group being called TAS-401. The fact this was getting more serious was just making Hikaru slightly anxious. She couldn’t mess up now. She couldn’t mess up ever. Regardless, she hid whatever train of anxiety running through head as she listened to the man named Gundahar. Another Squad Commander, huh? Seems like it was commonplace for the squad commander to change mission to mission. Well, it’s not like she was going to complain. As long as she doesn’t get referred to as Katsuragi Girl again.

Wait, sorry, did she hear correctly? They have to make themselves known to the Collbrandes in two hours? O, merciful god, please stop throwing her at important people when she isn’t prepared!

At least she looked prepared. She had a muted red dress-shirt tucked into her dress pants, with her black blazer lazily hanging from her shoulders. Erebus was not one who enjoyed wearing suit blazers properly. In fact, she believed having it rest over her shoulder as such was much better. Caught people’s gazes easily, according to her. Her black tie hung neatly as her sunglasses were hanging from her breast pocket.

With a sigh, she threw her arms around Qinglong and Aria’s shoulders, not caring for the concept of personal space. “Alright ladies...” she looked over at Blackbird. “...and gentleman. Since we were unable to enjoy our lovely ice cream due to the failure of the last mission, let’s enjoy ourselves before we see the failure or success of the current mission. Understood?”

She then brought her voice down to a whisper, loud enough for the rest of her group to hear.

“Actually, what is the current mission?” She wasn’t going to admit that she was too lost in her own anxious thoughts. “Mingle and look pretty until Gundahar wants to meet with us again? Because I’m very good at that.” She flashed a crooked grin at her co-workers before looking at the other batch of people that were around them. “Aria, Blackbird. Since you two are by far the most charismatic people here,” A lie. Hikaru found herself more charismatic. “I think you should make friends with the other group. Qinglong and I will follow suit, promise.”

Another lie. She would abandon her coworkers if there was someone Hikaru couldn’t get along with. This was a social situation, there was nothing wrong with running away from someone.

Interactions: Panther (Syriel) | Khocolatte (Euthalia) | Novelight (Gundahar) | lunar_moth (Lusia) | TerrorKitty (Vex) | SleepySheepiez (Valkyria) | Admiral19 (Retten) | WinterFestivity (Qinglong) | OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) | Purity (Aria)

Code by Serobliss

 

[lunar_moth]

Vanguards of Imperius

V. planifolia

Lusia Feodora Fair

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

…Is it stifling here, or is it just her?

Miss Fair’s hand comes up to run around the edge of her collar; it sticks a bit to her neck with sweat, and she tries to hide her grimace very subtly. Perhaps she is a little bit… er, on-edge. Her outfit, while no less suited for the occasion than Dietrich’s, definitely stands out compared to the majority of young women and socialites. She sports a wine-red dress shirt underneath a vest, dark slacks, and a ribbon tie for flair. Her hair’s been combed sleek and shiny. She still cannot help but feel unfitting among the crowds.

Really, Lusia is not one for formality or performativity. Professionalism is one thing. Dressing up to play the part of a demure and polite partygoer is another. And while she’s mostly gotten used to the feeling of eyes, still, sometimes it gets to her, this feeling of being a show animal dressed to impress, and as soon as Dietrich dismisses them all she marches off to disregard his suggestion. Yeah, no; if she can’t have a little bit of a crutch to hold onto, she can’t imagine she’ll last through the entire night without needing to bail.

She selects a glass of red from a passing garçon’s tray. Sips at it; bitter, dry, leaves her tongue coated in the feeling that only expensive drink gets you. And then once she’s finished nearly a third of the glass does she realize how ridiculous she’s being.

Seriously! She’s a grown woman. Surely she should be beyond nerves at fancy parties and around wealthy men and women? And yet, she can’t help but fall back into a bit of a tired old mindset, one she meant to retire long ago but that still rears its ugly head more often than hoped: You are not the same as everybody else here, and they know it; you are beneath them. Despite that, you still need to convince them that you’re worth their attention, or else you’re going home empty-handed tonight.

What a joke. Lusia’s worked hard to become something so far beyond her adolescence. She’s a Vanguard, for heaven’s sakes, a highly celebrated and respected servitor of the country and its citizens. To be brought back down so often by her teenage insecurities is shameful.

Oh, when did her glass empty? She plucks another from the next busboy that wanders by, swirls her glass absently and watches the partygoers wander to and fro. Alright. She’s had her little silent freakout; now she might as well do what everybody else is doing, and wander over to meet the other task force while she could.

And goodness, what a group they are. Lusia has another, smaller freakout internally, when she spots another woman dressed eerily similar to her. Or is Lusia the one who looks like she’s copying her? Uh oh, now she’s sure she looks out of place, especially with the relaxed and confident air of the task force woman as she slings her arms around her coworkers’ shoulders. Did she remember to powder her forehead before she left home? Is she looking frumpy, or oily, or—

—and then Lusia’s standing in front of that women and her cohort, betrayed by her own subconscious mind and directed towards exactly the last person she was prepared to speak to.

Lusia’s face is blank, carefully neutral. Inside, she gets as close to hysterical as someone like her could get, oh no, why did you come over here, what do I say, is she going to be embarrassed too that we’re wearing the same thing, what do I do—!

“Evening, gentlemen and women. How lovely you are all looking; I suppose we will have no problem working together,” Lusia says, voice calm, polite, ever professional, while inside her brain is being controlled by a monkey throwing darts at a board. She raises her glass in a toast, to- something or other, and she hopes the waver in her arm was just imagined. Oh my, when did she finish her next glass—?

voided WinterFestivity OverconfidentMagi Purity

Code by Serobliss

 

[Panther]

Collbrandes of Ophelia

Collbrande of Anterås

Luria Cineris

Rear Entrance Area, 1st Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius, Elesrith │ August 18, 709 EC

It was the Northern Coalition Anniversary, a time of celebration commemorating the very close relations between Elesrith and Volcrest. Both provinces, bound together as if they were one big family, have hosted countless numbers of guests across many events throughout the years, these guests serving as witnesses to a fraction of Empyrian unity. Of course, with celebrations came opportunities. Many people of power were brought together by the festivities to not only celebrate, but to also discuss the state of affairs and forming a concerted collaborative effort to address them. This year’s Anniversary was not much different. What was different however, was the underlying tone of the particular gatherings, most notably the gathering of some of Empyria’s highest officials. Not many of them are invited to the Anniversary usually, but if they are, they were chosen with something else in mind other than simply being a part of the party as an invitee. This was especially true for one of such guests, for they would never have been invited otherwise.

Today was a day like no other for the newest addition among the Collbrandes of Ophelia, the 4th Collbrande of Anterås, Luria Augustine Cineris. Today, she would step into one of the brightest limelights of her career thus far, the main event of the Northern Coalition Anniversary. It was a ball with some of Empyria’s greatest elites within the gilded halls of the vaunted Emperon Palace of House Bismarck. An honor given to her by none other than the powerful Collbrande of Elesrith, Evelyn von Bismarck. Until that point, Luria’s relatively silent ascension to power and highly enigmatic nature have made her the subject of interest of the nobility and common folk. For many an Empyrian, she had simply appeared out of thin air as the daughter and successor of her father, the then 3rd Collbrande of Anterås, Lucius Cineris. As far as they were concerned, none of them had even known or heard of her before then. Naturally and rightfully, it made people anxious and most of all, suspicious.

It partly didn’t help that little media coverage of her exists save for four instances. The first an announcement by the older Cineris that he would be resigning from his post and declaring his daughter as his successor. The second being her induction into the Collbrandes of Ophelia followed by a short address from her several weeks after her father’s resignation. The third the publicized speculations and opinions of various people. And the fourth, most recent, one is her surprise appearance in Aucteraden, attending the annual olympics of the Western Regions that commemorated the ties of all the Provinces there. A representative of House Cineris has stated that she mainly attended the event to conduct business with the Collbrande of Aucteraden, Draigh Kaiser, upon his invitation to which the representative refused to give the details that created more questions than answers. The woman’s presence in Elesrith is expected to follow the same trend of more questions than answers for speculators.

What is clear to the Cineris lady however, is that the meeting in Aucteraden opened a wider selection of opportunities. This ball in Elesrith was one of them, and she would be wise not to let it slip the moment the invitation came. And so, the elusive noblewoman found herself in the realm of the Bismarcks for the first time, riding in an armored limousine escorted by four unmarked and similarly-armored black vans of the Anteråsan Imperial Garrison alongside other escorts assigned by House Bismarck. She would’ve had more escorts of her own if not for her believing them to be unnecessary and counterproductive. She is a Collbrande of Ophelia and it is a given for security befitting her rank to be provided by the ones receiving her other than what can and should be provided for her by her own subordinates.

The Cineris convoy eventually arrived at the Emperon Palace, but instead of taking the frontal driveways where all the other guests were entering from, it chose to go around all the way to the rear driveways where guest inflow was more restricted to only entertain the guests of honor such as other invited Collbrandes and the like. The limousine then stopped at the veranda of the entrance, and almost immediately without the input of any servant, the limousine’s door swung open and Luria disembarked with a single female bodyguard in uniform in tow. A sharp contrast to Luria herself who wore a dark gray dress that bore the same color palette as her gray hair that fluttered in the breezy night winds. After they disembarked, the bodyguard shut the limousine’s door and the convoy went on its way to wherever the House Bismarck escorts would take them.

That just leaves Luria, her bodyguard, and the host who would come to receive them. And right on cue, their reception came in the form of a Vanguard of Imperius who politely greeted them and led them into the Palace. Luria kept her eyes trained on the path that the Vanguard led them on, deep in thought with her every step, while her bodyguard darted her eyes around in her stead, analyzing the environment. It wasn’t long until they were taken to a room that was situated a good walk away from the party, far enough for some peace and quiet between some of the most esteemed guests. The Vanguard opened the door and beckoned the two Anteråsans inside, but before that, Luria orders her bodyguard away. This was a place where ideally only Collbrandes and their closest may step into.

“Thessia, proceed to the ballroom and await us there. Make yourself scarce.”

The bodyguard nodded and headed off. With Luria alone, she now entered the room, being in the company of not only the Collbrande that she had talked to months prior, but also who is arguably the most powerful Collbrande in all of Empyria.

She gave a respectful bow, “A pleasant evening to you, most esteemed Lady von Bismarck. It is with great honor that I, Luria Cineris, the Collbrande of Anterås, am able to stand before you and make your acquaintance.”

Interactions: Novelight Khocolatte

Code by Serobliss

Kriegsheld Cadre

The Mage Knight

Syriel Janus

Vanguard Lobby, 3rd Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius, Elesrith │ August 18, 709 EC

Over the past few days, Syriel had been relieved that they made some progress on their operations. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that what they accomplished was below the expectations of their superiors. They didn’t make any actual big catches, they just got leads from someone unfortunate enough to be captured by them. She felt that had the enemy been more competent with their ways of handling things, the team wouldn’t have gotten anything. Though progress was better than no progress, and the comforting reassurance of her teammates eased her concerns. But just as one concern was dealt with, another surfaced. The new blood that they received from the Imperial Security Directorate, the team known as “TAS-401,” was much like Valkyria and Retten in terms of general background with one or two exceptions.

They were almost all new to the field excluding Malo Salas Vesta of House Vesta, codename “Blackbird,” who saw extensive combat in the Imperial Army and was accorded with decorations befitting of his achievements. He was also very proficient in his magical affinity and Exousiarch, having demonstrated it in his military career a number of times. Finally, another combat veteran and powerhouse was in the team and that relieved her because another person who knew what they’re doing joined the team. And being a combat veteran of his type means that he is the kind to have a load of baggage if the records were to be believed. Syriel could relate to that wholeheartedly given that she is a decorated veteran herself who has frankly seen things that no living person should ever see and has gone through what no one should ever go through.

Almost immediately however, this relief was cancelled out by the seemingly outwardly robotic Jiayi Yu, codename “Qinglong,” who has little to no records. Any and all records of her that were given to them came directly from the ISD Director’s office and only contained information approved for viewing. She was a wild card if the testimonies from the Director and the Zhenran’s previous field commander were to be considered. And Syriel wasn’t comfortable with wild card teammates, but she respects the Zhenran’s combat skills and respect for authority that the Director and field commander positively commented on in spite of the latter’s further remarks of her having a certain penchant for violence and treated killing as some sort of sport that made Syriel have even more suspicions. But she’ll get used to it, she had to.

Hikaru Fukui, codename “Erebus,” seemed to be the next most decent pick after Blackbird, she lacked experience but makes up for it with a certain eagerness and energy that only newbies have. Her noble upbringing in House Fukui also dictates that she knows a thing or two about fighting. Her preference for guns also meant that Syriel now had another battle buddy to work with. And well, despite her resemblance to Empyria’s current monarch, she is most definitely nothing like her in personality. She looks to be the sociable kind alongside the next woman in the ISD team, maybe even into any number of antics. But with her status in a family working hard to keep its prestige comes a certain degree of insecurity, some spawned from her rather bellicose past that made her somewhat of a pariah to her family. But nonetheless, she got up and arrived at where she is now with her own effort, and that is worthy of respect.

Now, Isolde Caen, codename “Aria,” the sole direct progeny of House Caen that had fallen from grace, was an interesting character. She seemed the type to never fight fair, and a skim of her past according to ISD records made it easy to understand. Growing up in the slums of Zhenra does that to people, and it has its pros and cons. Among them is molding a woman to be an effective information gatherer and fighter with their own style that works out. She definitely seemed to fit the bill for being in the Imperial Security Directorate, and likely also someone working under House Cineris’s employ. Something told Syriel that Anterås would love someone like Aria. Other than that, her disposition exudes with elegance and ambition, certainly demanding respect. Typical of a noble, after all, she was one. Syriel knows that she has her own interests for being here, that was no problem, everyone has interests of their own. What is a problem though is if it clashes with the others in a disruptive manner.

How these people earned the Director’s graces was a mystery to Syriel, but if the ISD’s highest had faith in them and entrusted them with carrying out a dangerous operation that they returned from with partial success, then she had reason to have faith and trust in them, other than her being a somewhat good judge of character with the assistance of personal dossiers and her job requiring that she be good with people.

Syriel stood up from the bar stool that she was sitting on after making her assessments of the new additions, tidying her satin dress. Dietrich had just given them a set of instructions following a brief introduction and beyond that, they were free to do as they pleased until the designated assembly time. She thought that she should be with her Collbrande, Draigh, but since they’ll be in the company of not only him, but three other Collbrandes, perhaps it’s not necessary for her to join him now. She had no real business with any of the invited guests either, but that doesn’t mean she can’t socialize with them. What did catch her interest were the TAS-401 people, and already, they were talking among themselves.

Now couple that with a flustered Lusia, who immediately disregarded Dietrich’s words, that had nonchalantly approached them in the middle of her attempt at easing her tensions with an empty glass in hand, things were going to get interesting at the very least. But alas, they had something important to be a part of later and Syriel was not going to let this slip. She approached Lusia, and by extension, the people of TAS-401, giving a calm reminder with a pat on the Vanguard’s shoulder, “Lusia, take it easy with the drinks. Wouldn’t want to be drunk in front of the Collbrandes later, hm? Don’t forget to breathe every now and then.”

She then turns to the four, raising an eyebrow, “Are you four all tensed up, too? High-class parties tend to do that to people, can’t say I’ll ever get used to it.” She scratched her head with a sigh.

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) voided (Erebus) WinterFestivity (Qinglong) OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) Purity (Aria)

Code by Serobliss

 

[Admiral19]

Vanguards of Imperius

Retten

Selana Voleir

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS

The last time Selana wore something like what she had on, the last time she wore something so crisp and bright and flowery was...god, was it seven, eight years ago? It was a party with a lot of House Voleir's most prolific members. A paltry attempt at peacekeeping, in hindsight; trying to keep the House's unity in mind even as it was dramatically falling apart. Even so, that was Selana's first and only major event before she put herself into exile, and she wore something not all that different from right now.

And now here she was, amongst not only fellow Vanguards(she had seen Lusia go off to mingle not seconds earlier, wine glass in tow, and hoped she would be okay), but also others of nobility, or at least those with a decidedly important position, like the members of the ISD. And that's not even accounting for the Collbrandes that would be present, and the fact that she, amongst others, would have to stand before them...

She sighed.

A day after the completion of their operation wasn't nearly enough time for her to shift from one obligation to the next. Sure, it gave her time to wind down from their success(easily earned as it was), but for her to go to such a grand event immediately afterwards, an event with so many known names attending...No, who was she kidding? It wasn't like the mission was particularly strenuous; they had captured two people. Two people with very valuable information, of course, but still. She was making excuses, surely, trying to make her nervousness not seem like nervousness. Right?

Her entire body was so unnecessarily tense. Goddammit, you're a noble, Selana, you should be used to this!

Well...no. If she were the heiress of House Voleir for longer, she could say that.

She had less than two hours before the Collbrandes officially came out, according to what Gundahar said earlier, so she might as well mingle, but with whom? Just...pick someone from the crowd...there, the one wearing her suit blazer incorrectly. There were a multitude of other people near her, but surely it'd be alright to talk, right? Besides, Lusia was talking to them too, so worst case, she could fall back on her. She went to approach them.

"Good evening, Lusia!" Greeting her first was probably the best move; Selana could get her lips moving so that she didn't trip up trying to talk to the others. "And good evening to all of you, I don't believe we've met."

Oh, she hoped Lusia was sober enough.

lunar_moth (Lusia) | WinterFestivity (Qinglong) | voided (Erebus) | OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) | Purity (Aria)

Code by Serobliss

 

[voided]

Imperial Security Directorate

EREBUS

HIKARU FUKUI

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

While she was waiting for entertainment stemming from her own group, another woman caught her eye. A white-haired woman. She looked older than Hikaru, but not too old. She seemed to carry an air of intelligence, experience and professional—well, would have come off as professional if she wasn’t already swiping her second glass of wine. From Hikaru’s experience, those who used something as a crutch to get through a situation were addicted to that said something. Was this woman an alcoholic?

Hikaru bit her own lip, inconspicuously and gently. Ah, what a hypocrite. How long was it since her last cigarette? Would she be able to sneak out and smoke? Or was there a place for smoking somewhere? Surely she wasn’t the only one in this elaborate establishment that smoked.

“Evening, you’re looking quite dashing yourself.” Even if they looked quite similar in terms of dresswear. Hikaru knew it was pure coincidence. After all, she had never seen the woman up until now. But this was Hikaru Fukui. She aimed to tease.

Hikaru looked at the woman up and down. “A shade of red contrasting on black. Well, doesn’t that look familiar.” She flashed her shit-eating grin at the older woman. “Are you stalking me? I’m flattered.”

She paused, glancing at the nigh empty glass.

“Y’know, too much of anything is bad for the body...” she then looked back up at Lusia. “Impaired judgements...” Did her arm waver? Wow. “...tremors in the limbs, all are telltale signs of addiction.”

With a chuckle, she removed her arm from around Qinglong. Motioning towards herself, she called over one of the wandering busboys, picking up a glass of red wine. With a smile and a quick thanks, Hikaru brought the glass around and tapped it against Lusia’s empty glass with a clink.

“Well, I’m not one to judge.” She brought the glass to her lips, taking a sip. Bitter and dry, yuck. Cheap beer from Katsuragi tasted better than this. With a sigh, She looked at the glass, swirling it as she stared at the red wine, making sure it didn’t spill as she looked at it. “Rich people's alcohol tastes like shit... Who actually enjoys this kind of stuff?” She then looked over to Aria, offering the glass of wine to her. “You want some, little songbird? Wine seems up your alley.”

Then there was another woman, who patted the white-haired woman on the shoulder. Lusia was the white-haired woman’s name? Maybe Hikaru should actually look into other people that weren't her direct squad. But where would she start? Well, that was an issue for later. With a soft hum, she listened in as the brown-haired woman lightly reprimanded Lusia before talking to TAS-401.

She had no clue who the new woman was, all Hikaru knew from a glance was that this woman was tall, and seemed to know Lusia. Once the woman finished speaking, Hikaru glanced at the two women and shrugged.

“I’m sure the white-haired woman can handle herself. Letting go of inhibitions is how we adults have fun, no?” Her other hand was still offering the drink to Aria. If her coworker wasn’t going to take it, Hikaru would just leave it somewhere. “Can’t say I’m used to high-class parties, though. I have been to a few here and there but mostly stuck to myself and my sister.”

Hikaru and her sister, huh? Fun times. She mostly just slipped away to avoid rich people and their politics. Her sister just followed her around for some reason. Ah, it didn’t matter much anymore. The rest of her family is in Katsuragi, she didn’t have to deal with all that for now.

Wow, look at that. Another person strolled up. How popular were they? Wait, even this pink-haired woman was tall. Was this a bug? Why was Hikaru surrounded by people taller than her. Nevermind that, this girl looked familiar. She couldn't pinpoint her name, but Hikaru swore that she saw something about this girl somewhere. Well, Hikaru was good at getting information by mingling. And mingle she shall.

“Regardless, who might you three be? I’m Hikaru Fukui.”

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) / Admiral19 (Retten) / OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) / Purity (Aria) / WinterFestivity (Qinglong) / Panther (Syriel)

Code by Serobliss

 

[Panther]

Kriegsheld Cadre

The Mage Knight

Syriel Janus

Vanguard Lobby, 3rd Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius, Elesrith │ August 18, 709 EC

Syriel chuckled at Hikaru’s remarks, “I’m inclined to agree about our flustered friend here.” She gave Lusia one last pat on the shoulder before letting go, commenting on Hikaru’s latest statement, “Hm, you do actually give that vibe that you don’t really like these kinds of parties. I can confidently say that you aren’t alone. I find the city streets, and maybe even the office, a much better place to hang out than all these dress-up parties with all the wine and big talk. The dances, I guess I really have nothing against.”

Just as she was about to continue, Retten, or Selana, had entered the conversation and gave her greetings to the TAS-401 people, and to Syriel and Lusia. This shifted the dynamic of the conversation, and did actually remind Syriel that while they’ve already seen each other in the briefing earlier, they’ve never actually ‘met’ per se. Now that Hikaru asked who they were, it would only be right, or even natural for them to answer.

Syriel answered Hikaru, extending her hand, “I’m Syriel Janus, codename “Mage Knight,” Second Arclight of the Kriegsheld Cadre of House Kaiser. A servant under the direct employ of the Collbrande of Aucteraden. I’m also one of the team leaders of this joint task force alongside Gundahar. I look forward to working with you, Hikaru, and TAS-401.”

Part of her wanted to introduce Lusia and Selana to the others on their behalf, but decided that it would be rude. After her introduction, Syriel remained silent, allowing the two other women to speak.

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) voided (Erebus) WinterFestivity (Qinglong) OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) Purity (Aria) Admiral19 (Retten)

Code by Serobliss

 

[WinterFestivity]

Imperial Security Directorate

Qinglong

Jiayi Yu

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

Jiayi wasn't really sure what she'd expected when she was formally locked into a partnership with those four that she'd become somewhat familiar with during their raid. The failure of their raid was distasteful, for sure, as she'd rather not leave an operation incomplete, especially one against them. But there was little she could do to change the past, it would all have to wait until another opportunity presented itself.

In the meantime, this meant that she'd have to come to terms with her newly cemented partnership with this lot while being sent on their first official mission as TAS-401.

There she'd meet her next superior, Gundahar, she'd heard of this man on the briefest of notes, but this was the first time she'd ever come close to meeting him face to face, a renowned soldier, his strength was something to be admired. She would maintain her stone-cold neutral exterior as she simply absorbed his words, providing a nod when required. She didn't need to be told to "behave herself." If she had any say in the matter she wouldn't be here, parties usually spelled bad news in her experience, part of her was constantly on alert, looking out for the first sign of trouble, of someone trying to make a powerplay.

Of course, that was mostly just her learned paranoia speaking, as for the moment, she found no hints of such activity, beyond verbal powerplays engaged in by the nobles, but that sort of thing was something she had little care about, it wouldn't result in much more than the same social back and forth they always engaged in.

Instead, her attention was brought over to Erebus - Hikaru - who threw her arm around her shoulder, Jiayi didn't care enough to try to get her to back off, but she certainly wasn't thrilled by the close contact. She'd listen to the raven-haired woman speak and just shake her head.

"I believe it'd be more in our interest to avoid mingling with the attendees and wait until we are called upon to go before the Collbrandes."

Jiayi herself stood out a fair bit among the rest of the party-goers, as instead of dressing up at all, she simply opted to wear her "work clothes" to the ball. She had a bit of a distaste for dresses, lacking in adequate protection as they were, and often, constricting movements beyond what would be acceptable should problems arise. There's also the problem of such a thing potentially bringing her Illegal Exousiarch to full display. So, instead, she simply opted to wear her uniform, with no care about how much she stood out because of it.

Her chance to sit and wait for the two hours was utterly vanquished as a woman with snow-white hair approached them, behaving as if she were a Lush. Likely some noble, or a notably unprofessional agent of some sort. Not that she particularly cared, even as the woman spoke, trying to strike up some sort of conversation. She'd similarly take note of the other woman approaching - Syriel - who provided some information of note to Jiayi, and asked a question which required some sort of answer.

"I would rather not be here. Such gatherings usually invite trouble."

Blunt as always. Jiayi didn't really know how to approach answering with anything other than a full on lie or a sledgehammer of truth. Though, she didn't get long to go back to being silent as yet another person approached them, just how many people were going to come here? She hated parties. Once more, she spoke with her characteristic dryness.

"Jiayi Yu."

She'd offer another glance over to Hikaru as she returned her personal space, finally. The robotic woman would remain mostly silent as the others swapped words, her eyes flitting between them as she spoke as the others began drinking.

"...Do not overindulge in inebriating substances, it's wont to diminish your performance."

After speaking once more, she wouldn't say anything else, her own introduction had been taken care of when she graciously offered her cover name to Retten, the woman who'd approached them and truly made this group into a small party of its own among the much larger one. Unwilling to try to interact in the same fashion as the others, for now.


Interactions: ♥ lunar_moth (Lusia) ♥ Panther (Syriel) ♥ voided (Fukui) ♥ Admiral19 (Retten) ♥ Purity (Isolde) ♥ OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird)

Code by Serobliss

 

[Purity]

Imperial Security Directorate

Aria

Isolde Caen

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS, ELESRITH │ AUGUST 18, 709 EC

It was certainly a far cry from the squalor that she was accustomed to. She almost had to tell herself that she deserved to be here, that she belonged here.

Of course, that was a bit difficult to do with the sting of failure from arguably her first major operation, but she could easily chalk that up to the fact that they had been woefully underprepared. In firepower, possibly. In intel, definitely. It would've made such a good mark on what was otherwise an utterly blank slate of a record if they had accomplished what she’d later found out had been an impossible task. Instead, they got to take solace in the fact that they’d done exactly as expected, working only within the parameters that had been set before she’d even gotten a chance to prove herself. She hated the feeling. It was like she’d been boxed in.

No matter. If she had the time to look back, then she had just as much time to strangle fate. But still the words bounced around in her head. “...low expectations…”

It was easy to imagine her hands wrapped around Director Greyhardt’s neck instead.

She banished her intrusive thoughts as one Dietrich Lexcher approached the group. Gundahar, as he introduced himself as, at least seemed much more grounded and intentional than the Director. One tyrant for another in a world of tyranny, she supposed. She knew of his exploits, knew of his stature on the battlefield, and she’d even managed to extrapolate with extraordinary difficulty that his icy cold magic would translate to an icy cold exterior. Wow, how surprising it was that she’d been correct! She could already tell he would be a boring individual to concern herself with. The news he brought at least grabbed her attention.

Isolde was aware of the general traditions of the event, though of course she’d never been in attendance before, nor had even heard of it until fairly recently because she’d never had a reason to learn about any holidays. Its importance, however, was not lost on her, especially when she’d learned about how august the guestlist was. That they were actually going to go before the Collbrandes was news, however. They’d been informed they were going to be attending to some important personages, but this was as if they’d asked some foot soldiers to handle a fifth phase exousiarch: a bit overwhelming for the pace.

It was a blessing that she was wearing something nice today. Blues and golds, her pin firmly in her hair, the last time she’d worn this outfit was when she’d found her inheritance. Perhaps she could find it here too, adorned in the vanities that her parents had meant for her.

She was preoccupied thinking about how best to approach this sudden opportunity when Erebus jolted her out of it with her characteristic aggressively affectionate gesture. It took her some effort to not immediately twist the offending arm around, but she’d been around the boisterous girl enough now to let it slide. Besides, the discomfort it offered Qinglong was more than enough to trump her own. Small talk with the new faces around her seemed to be the best course of action for now anyway.

“Evening, all. I don’t say we’ve had the pleasure of being acquainted?”

Which, of course, wasn’t entirely true. She’d already taken a look at the individual profiles on everyone in their new team, but details about them were already fading from her mind having been given the revelation that they would at least be in the presence of the Collbrandes.

She did, however, catch the eye of Syriel as the other noble made her own cursory sweep of their new group. Syriel Janus… If Isolde remembered correctly, she was a veteran of some major conflicts, sure, but more importantly had been in close proximity to some of the very Collbrandes that they would meet soon. Syriel confirmed it with her own words.

Isolde absentmindedly took the glass that Erebus offered, bringing it to her lips and tilting ever so slightly before setting it down on a nearby surface. The level hadn’t gone down at all.

“Say, Mage Knight, considering that you’re the only one here with experience dealing with Collbrandes, why don’t you tell us what you make of them?”

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) ⟡ voided (Erebus) ⟡ WinterFestivity (Qinglong) ⟡ OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) ⟡ Panther (Syriel) ⟡ Admiral19 (Retten)

Code by Serobliss

 

[lunar_moth]

Vanguards of Imperius

V. planifolia

Lusia Feodora Fair

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

“Ah— well, my dear lady, who has the time these days to take up stalking as a habit?” Lusia stammers back to Hikaru, failing to deny the playful accusation in her haste to regain control of herself. She tries to discreetly hide her empty wineglass behind her back, despite the fact that everybody has seen it already and also that her fingernails clink noisily against the glass and draw, more likely, even more attention. She cringes visibly. Oh, good work. No wonder they think you’re an addict. Very classy.

“Aha, haah, where are my manners? My name is Lusia Fair, codename v.Planifolia, and I work under the title of Vanguard of Imperius. Rest assured, madams — I can handle far more than my liquor,” she rambles, trying poorly to salvage her first impression. “—raising a teenager just teaches you to appreciate the simple pleasures of a night out, I’m sure you can understand.” Oh my god why did you say that these people don’t have children and technically neither do you and now you just sound like a suburban mother who drinks to cope with her children what the hell.

voided WinterFestivity OverconfidentMagi Purity Admiral19 Panther

Code by Serobliss

 

[TerrorKitty]

Vanguards of the Imperious

Vextress (Vex)

Alba Vex Von Wolfenstein

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

Alba watched as Vanguards and ISD operatives began to mix and mingle. While as much as she loved a good party, meeting new people was always difficult. Inserting ones self into a conversation organically was a lot harder for someone who wasn't very organic relatively speaking. She knew she was different, especially since cybernetic augmentations even amongst aristocrats was both regulated and taboo beyond simple prosthetics. Being a living weapon was completely different matter entirely.

The pink hair girl sighed and stepped forward. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be around people she knew and people she didn't at the same time. That opened up to many mixing signals of familiarity but she could tell Lusia was nervous and decided to at least give the Woman some breathing room, knowing how they could get when even just slightly inhibited. It was ironic, how Lusia's hypervigilant mind was so calm and focused on the battlefield, but other times just seemed cause them to overthink the simplest things. Alba would have laughed a little if she wasn't trying to be polite, especially in such a formal environment.

"At least you don't have to raise a class four artificial intelligence that exists within your own body. I can't even drink if I wanted to or risk some kind of malfunction; that's why I'm always tuning into radio signals. We all have our own ways of relaxing from the responsibilities we shoulder." Alba shrugged, strolling up beside Lusia. "Alba Vex Von Wolfenstein; designation: Vextress. A pleasure to make your acquaintance ladies." Vex continued with a pleasant smile and a slight bow of her head though she wasn't done introducing herself just yet. "I suppose I should explain." Vex raised her right arm out from where it hid under her fancy coat, turning it to show the lines in her skin that marked where mechanical plates had been installed; this was one specifically for her blades, though she had temporarily removed them and deactivated most of her combat systems as per safety regulations. "In House Wolfenstein they call me 'The Singularity Vector' in regards to being possibly the most complex cybernetically integrated being on Empyria. Aside from being a highly advanced cyborg, my systems house experimental AI programs and such. Though I promise it's not as exciting as it sounds." She finished with a light shrug, shooting a glance to Lusia, hoping to have at least managed to rescue the older Vanguard from an awkward situation by creating her own.

"That said, I've heard Kurian Enterprise's CEO would be attending tonight, honestly I'm hoping to speak with her at some point. There are very few organizations outside of House Wolfenstein that have access to the level of technology that my body is capable of properly interfacing with." She explained with a face that didn't give away how embarrassed she was to spill so much to people who probably had no idea who she was outside maybe as a side note in a briefing.

Interaction: lunar_moth (Lusia) / Admiral19 (Retten) / OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) / Purity (Aria) / WinterFestivity (Qinglong) / Panther (Syriel)

Code by Serobliss

 

[Panther]

Kriegsheld Cadre

The Mage Knight

Syriel Janus

Vanguard Lobby, 3rd Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius, Elesrith │ August 18, 709 EC

Syriel took note of the uniformed Zhenran’s dry answer. Definitely matched the previous field commander’s reports. It reminded her of some faces that she dealt with, whether in the Imperial Army or her times as a liaison between House Kaiser and the Imperial Security Directorate. She was definitely a strange one, but so far so good, no problem. Her choice of attire wasn’t problematic either, it even made Syriel a bit envious of the woman for having the unintentional gall to dress relatively plainly in an event full of bigshots. She wasn’t too self-conscious and the Kriegsheld thought to herself that this was one of the times where it played to the Zhenran’s favor. What being in the company of a Collbrande does to a person, somewhat used to having to look the part in more formal settings so as to not bring any shame or humiliation.

Then came a more interesting topic of conversation from Aria as the less-tense Lusia introduced herself followed by the cybernetic Vextress who would join the fray. Looks like Lusia would be credited to bridging the gap between the initial team and TAS-401. Though they would’ve had to bridge it eventually anyway, Lusia just made it quicker and maybe easier now that the ice is broken, albeit perhaps not of her own accord given her stress.

Back to Aria’s question. Syriel got to answering the plain-sounding, but loaded inquiry,

“Say, Mage Knight, considering that you’re the only one here with experience dealing with Collbrandes, why don’t you tell us what you make of them?”

“A mixed bag, a good fraction of which I’ve never met. With respect to those attending, Lord Kaiser I feel is the most casual of the Collbrandes, he isn’t really one for formalities, preferring to call people by name and be addressed in the same manner. But that can’t always be helped now, can it? There’s an established order here in Empyria, and we all follow it consciously or not. He treats those of us who are close as friends and companions, could say we’re an extension of his family in a way. He’s a hardworking man with a load of patience, you’ve got to be one of the worst people in Empyria if you’ve lowered it to zero. Anyway, don’t tense up too much around him, I wouldn’t say it’s worth it.”

Now unto the remaining three Collbrandes who have confirmed their attendance.

“Lady von Bismarck is a longtime friend of Lord Kaiser. That wouldn’t really happen if they didn’t have much in common in my opinion, but I’ve never been in her company enough to get a definite read. She seems casual and friendly to those close and allied to her and her cause like Lord Kaiser, though I think it’s best if I let the Vanguards explain how she normally is. But I’ve been asked, so I answered. I also think that she’s a shrewd woman of power and determination at levels befitting of someone who I would think is the Collbrande of Collbrandes, though I may be giving her too much credit because of her place in Empyrian society. I think she’s someone who for the most part exudes such an aura that makes her so far out but turns out to actually be closer to your league than you originally would think. Don’t let that lull or deceive you though. She’s someone of many faces. Lord Kaiser and I often see the good ones.”

“Lady Krovoza, I’ve personally never been in her company, nor that of her husband’s. This would be the first so I won’t be giving too much of a judgement even if I’ve heard of them. She seems softhearted among other things, but that’s never a bad thing. Kindness shouldn’t be considered a weakness.”

“Now… Lady Cineris. I’ve never met her. Nor have I heard of her until recently, same deal for a lot of Empyrians up high and down low. Her visit to Aucteraden earlier this year caught us all by surprise. I asked Lord Kaiser how it went and he said that she seemed very professional and courteous as per their first meeting. This one would be their second so more time to know her better. Overall, I think Lady Cineris is an interesting and suspicious character. There’s a certain mystique to her because of how little information there is on her, media coverage is little to none, public records are whitewashed, things that are very unusual for a new Collbrande. It’s part of what makes her such a hard character to read. Lots of eyes will be on her tonight since there’s so much interest in her.”

Syriel paused for a moment to look at Aria, then shifted her attention to Vextress who had just joined in and introduced herself, “Miss Kurian should be in the lower floors by now, likely discussing with the bigwigs in the industry and her investors, current and potential. House Kaiser has been a good client of Kurian Enterprise for years and she usually handles the company’s deals between the two personally. Apparently good talk from what I’ve heard, I don’t handle the House’s communications with the company obviously but I’m also a good paying customer myself since I bought some of my personal equipment from the company. Tonight’s a pretty good chance to have a word with her if you can. If your House is doing business with her or plans to, try putting a word in. If you want, I can do it for you.” A statement that subtly made her a bit more tense than she was a while ago. Admittedly, this conversation she was having with the team was helping her in that respect. The thought of having a conversation with one of Empyria’s top magnates seems to have done the opposite.

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) voided (Erebus) WinterFestivity (Qinglong) OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) Purity (Aria) Admiral19 (Retten) TerrorKitty (Vex)

Code by Serobliss

 

[voided]

Imperial Security Directorate

EREBUS

HIKARU FUKUI

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

The shorter woman looked up to Qinglong—Jiayi—as she disagreed on the concept of mingling with others. Well, it was too late. Unfortunately for Jiayi, the two groups were already talking to each other. Playfully, she stuck her tongue out at Qinglong, as if to quietly say ‘too bad’ to the woman.

Then there was how Qinglong dressed. She dressed no different from their previous engagement with the Shishen Yakuza. Now, Hikaru wasn’t going to deny that moving around in that uniform was easier, but Qinglong could have at least put the effort into dressing a bit nicer. The two talked about dressing Jiayi up, but she kept on refusing over and over, sounding like a broken record.

Hikaru gave up eventually. Not out of annoyance, but out of the hypothetical hilarious scenario of Jiayi standing out.

However, Jiayi’s next words got an eyeroll out of Hikaru. “Are you my mom suddenly? I’ll drink alcohol if I want to. I know my limits.” And that limit was one sip with how bad this wine tasted. But if there was something better around...

Regardless, her attention went back to Syriel. Part of the Kriegsheld Cadre and was their other team leaders. Hikaru didn’t expect her to be a team leader, she thought she was another I.S.D. member or something. Regardless, this woman seemed easy to get along with, so Hikaru had no issues taking orders from her.

At least she wouldn’t call her Katsuragi Girl.

Hikaru hummed in response to Syriel’s words. “Yeah, not a fan of parties. Just the entire bit of needing to come off a certain way to appeal to others. It’s tiring and suffocating!” She used her free hand to pull at her tie, as if to imply this place was a little too uncomfortable. “Looking pretty and talking to others though, that’s something I don’t mind at all. After all, I do that on a daily basis. But yeah, hitting people up at a bar or in an office is much better.”

Hikaru took Syriel’s hand, shaking it firmly before pulling her hand away. “Right, my codename is Erebus. Call me however you wish.”

“—raising a teenager just teaches you to appreciate the simple pleasures of a night out, I’m sure you can understand.”

Hikaru then looked over at Lusia. She brought a hand to her chin as she studied the white-haired woman. Now, this woman didn’t look a day over 30. If she had a teenager, that meant—

“—Teen pregnancy!” She snapped her fingers before pointing at Lucia, speaking in a slightly serious tone.

Hikaru was a walking embarrassment.

Thankfully, after Aria’s question, she quieted down, listening to Syriel give the group an explanation on the Collbrandes at the party. First off was Lady von Bismarck. Truth be told, Hikaru didn’t have much interest in any of them, but ‘shrewd woman of power’ caught her attention. From what she knew, Bismarck was the Collbrande of Elesrith. Did she not have the best standing? Interesting,

Then there was Krovoza. Hikaru had never heard of her. Softhearted and kind though, that was new. Ah, if only there was a softhearted and kind woman on TAS-401. Now, what really caught her attention was Lady Cineris. Like Krovoza, Hikaru also didn’t know of Cineris. But this time, it wasn’t due to her own ignorance. Seems like Krovoza was a woman who blindsided a good chunk of Empyria.

“Interesting.” Was all Hikaru said in response to the spiel on the Collbrandes. “I do have another question, what other noteworthy people are here? Aside from the Collbrandes. Speaking of...” She looked over at the woman who was named Alba Vex V—yeah, that was a long name. Hikaru was just going to refer to her as her codename, Vextress. “What does the Kurian Enterprise dabble in? Technology, sure. But what kind?”

Interactions: lunar_moth (Lusia) / Admiral19 (Retten) / OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) / Purity (Aria) / WinterFestivity (Qinglong) / Panther (Syriel) / TerrorKitty (Vextress)

Code by Serobliss

 

[Novelight]

Lord of Volcrest

Atalax XII

Vanitas Cryarcha

Private Guest Room, 2nd Floor, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS | ELESRITH, MAINLAND AGARTHA

“A wondrous ambiance you’ve assembled here, High Servitor. With each year, it seems the palace becomes exceptionally more beautiful than the last. Staying true to the Elesrith fashion, transcending expectations.”

The Lord of Volcrest spoke with satisfaction, walking alongside his Collbrande wife with the hand of his locked arm in his pockets. His other hand held a wine glass that he had snatched from a roaming servant, its aroma blessing his nostrils with each scent. He had looked forward to this event, and it would be obvious for Novaskaya, who knew that her husband fancied the palace, who often spoke of its atmosphere with interest.

Vanitas exchanged a few words with the High Servitor before their destination had been reached. Towering before them was the golden entrance that would lead them into the conference room that was planned to commence in no less than 20 minutes. A little earlier than usual, but no trouble. There were no inherent problems with catching up with the mayhem that was House Bismarck’s political drama. Always so amusing, he thought whenever he would listen to the rambles of the young Collbrande of Elesrith. Despite their difference in age, it always surprised him whenever he would listen to the words of a mere child. Certainly, the Bismarcks knew how to raise their children into qualified diplomats.

He waited patiently for the High Servitor to confirm their arrival before nodding to the guards, allowing their entrance. However, before the guards would perform their duties, Vanitas caught a glimpse of one of the guard’s faces and halted before the door could unveil the conference room.

“It seems we’ll be arriving on time—as planned,” Vanitas smirked. Novaskaya furrowed one’s brow in response to her husband’s words, questioning him. An answer was given shortly after, “Darling, have you not recognized the face of the knight who was entrusted with the Symbol of Divinity’s hallowed words? The Knight Sacerdos of Caliburn Vitos is standing before us. I believe this is the first time we’ve met.”

Vanitas turned his gaze to Siesta before either Novaskaya or Sextus could respond, “My deepest apologies to Lady Bismarck. I would have discussed this matter alongside, have we arrived earlier than the others. It just happens so that this gentleman and I must exchange a few… peculiar words, for the lack of a better word.”

The High Servitor would glance at the guard before returning her focus back to the lord, mildly troubled by the sudden change of plans. The esteemed Collbrande, Novaskaya did not hesitate and would instead nod and reassure her, claiming that the Collbrande of Elesrith would understand once explained. And with that said and done, Siesta acknowledged their desire for privacy and quickly escorted the couple and the knight into a separate guest room, where privacy was guaranteed.

The High Servitor would close the door behind her and left them to their devices, earning absolute silence as the three would find their seat on the opposing couches, with only a glass lounge table separating the two sides.

Vanitas stared at Sextus in silence. His face was strangely familiar despite having no recollection of their past meeting, using the descriptive words of the Pontifex he could tell that this was the man that was entrusted with the words about Empyria’s greatest kept secret. He smirked, finding it risible that the secret was beginning to expand in knowledge. Not that it was a wildfire of a mismanaged secret. In any case, he closed his eyes and nodded, as their first interaction began.

“Let us deal in formalities first. My name is Vanitas Atalax Cryarcha, otherwise known in Iliosie as the Blade of Vondinius. I am the one who is in charge of investigating the Aethrea alongside my dear wife, who was entrusted with the royal contract passed down from her father and their father, by the late Prince William from the Second Great War.” Vanitas offered a gentle smile after a short pause, “Exclude fancy titles and simply refer to us as lord and lady. That would be for the best of all of us.”

Khocolatte Novaskaya - Siesta | Malphaestus Sextus

Code by Serobliss

 

[Admiral19]

Vanguards of Imperius

Retten

Selana Voleir

VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS

The rest of the folks in the circle introduced themselves to each other, some easily like Syriel, some stiffly like Jiayi, some...oh dear. Very lucky that Vex came when she did; Selana was worried that she'd accidentally make it worse on Lusia, who seemed to be struggling enough already. As someone who met with a mother while she was still under House Voleir, Selana could indeed confirm that Lusia sounded distinctly suburban, which wasn't anything to be ashamed of in Selana's eyes, but in the context of saving social face, it wasn't exactly an ideal trait.

"Selana Voleir"—Selana bowed her head respectfully towards Hikaru—"codename "Retten". Very nice to meet you, Hikaru." So far, Hikaru's made a good impression. She certainly spoke her mind, but she wasn't churlish by any means...at least so far. Oftentimes, outspokenness was good in a person, but...well, Selana would see how she felt after talking with Hikaru some more.

"—Teen pregnancy!"

Selana choked on air. Okay, Hikaru really speaks her mind, it seems. Fortunately, that was the extent of her comments, as Syriel had started to go in-depth about the Collbrandes that would be present. Lady von Bismarck was naturally the Collbrande she was most familiar with, largely out of her obligation as a Vanguard. Lady Krovoza, Selana didn't know all that much about; Lady Cineris was...interesting. It made Selana wonder.

But what really made Selana perk up was Vex's mention of Kurian Enterprise, and the CEO that would be attending. The sort of technology they must have at their disposal... "Ah, I've heard that too! Kurian must have a wealth of know-how if House Wolfenstein has relied on them for so long."

lunar_moth (Lusia) | WinterFestivity (Qinglong) | voided (Erebus) | OverconfidentMagi (Blackbird) | Purity (Aria)

Code by Serobliss

 

[SleepySheepiez]

Imperial Security Directorate

Valkyria

Elizabet Van der Lucht

IMPERIUS CITY, ELESRITH / VANGUARD LOBBY, 3RD FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS CITY, ELESRITH | AUGUST 18, 709 EC

The morning before the grand occasion, the heiress Van der Lucht finds herself standing before her own groggy reflection in the provided apartment bathroom. The cold water is a shock, splashing the sleep from her eyes. What a time to be alive. Who could have predicted that she, she of all people would wind up attending the same event as the Symbol of Revelation in person, not to mention all the honorable Collibrandes.
and me, the stained noble from nowhere...

"You have got this Lizzy. You made it through the academy, you made it through just about your first week in this new position without issue, and you are not about to slow down just yet! Get out there today and knock all their jaws to the floor! You will be the perfect operative, and invitee, and you will have even the honorable symbol of revelation nodding your approval!"
It was a start.
Elizabet pats both cheeks and nods to the glass, her blood already pumping hot in anticipation. She watches the brightly smiling blonde with sleep-tangled hair return her the favor.

Preparations were made almost entirely on the one free day given to use as she pleased. She, ever the overachiever, spent the good part of it brushing up on her etiquette, picking out her dress and accessories, before reviewing the scant intelligence they'd managed to pick up in the singular arrest they'd made. The girl's mind wandered idly through the facts as she undid the straps to one dress in order to try on the next. Changes in leadership, corrupt corporate executives, and hidden staches. Try as she might, Elizabet couldn't really see the way it might fit together, she was the patrol officer not the detective after all, but the promise of a unifying thread was tantalizing. Enough that the store clerk gave her a good talking to over miscounting the proper payment amount for her clothing purchases, an error the beet red agent apologized for most profusely.

Least helpful of all was the dangling thread of Izuna Kurian in the flesh, who would be present that very night. Even Elizabet in all her gusto was clever enough to see that confronting the person in hopes of weedling out some info would need to be handled delicately, and likely by a finer touch than hers. It is the tantalizing reputation and respect she'd assuredly recieve upon being the one to crack the whole case that keeps the notion from leaving her be. All throughout the day she is antsy, nervous, and full of loose energy.
As in her very first briefing, sheer anticipation eats the hopeful agent from the inside out.
You will find some way to make it work. It is only a matter of holding on until then...

The evening is sweet release. Filing the paperwork, and fitting into her flightsuit to go on an unscheduled patrol flight is the break she's been waiting for all week. The Exo bends to her will as if an extension to her physical form, every movement as natural as breathing. years of molding herself for this role made clear in a symphony of rushing wind. The reflexes of her Exousiarch allow every second to be cherished and savored to the last. The airsteam that plays with her blonde hair as she courses high above the streets of the city, playing chicken with the clouds, wrapping herself in the exhilarating lift of the thermals... god, flying was heaven.
And the patrol is over all too soon.
And Elizabet finds herself grounded once again.

Several hours to go until the date and Elizabet returns her suit to the dock, face flushed.
Several hours to shower herself, brush out her hair into a wavy ponytail, and get to work on her looks.
Several more hours to stew in the anticipation once again.

...

The dress is cold.
This is the foremost thought in the heiress' mind as she wanders away from the others after the briefing.
It's pretty of course. The silk of it smooth and form fitting reminds her of her flightsuit, which is a good part of the reason she'd settled on it. Wine red, open backed to flaunt her mark as was the fashion, and dusted with small hints of a richer, deeper shade. The top of it reaches up to under her chin, leaving the shoulders mostly bare, and showing off the toned arms that came with regular and rigorous physical exertion. The skirt flares out a bit, rippled and scalloped at the hem that stops an inch or two below the knees and it makes her feel like a blooming flower when she turns.
Yes, the dress was wonderful, and the sapphire chained about her neck with the finest gold made the blue of her eyes pop, but she still felt cold and out of place amongst such grandeur. maybe it had been a good idea to spend so much to match up to it all, but somehow Elizabet still feels just a bit outclassed.
Certainly nothing of the like back in sector nine, that much is true...

Perhaps it was cold of her to avoid talking to the group of her new and newer squadmates that was slowly amassing itself in what looked to be a rousing conversation? To give them nothing more than a half-shy glance before focusing steadily on the task at hand and disappearing to mingle into the throng? Maybe she could think of it at another time. For now, the promise of seeing one of the higher ups, the social elite, or maybe, just maybe, a glimpse of the elusive CEO Kurian in person is far more enticing a prospect than awkwardly policing her nervous first impressions with the newly merged B team.
Elizabet takes a glass of wine from a nearby tray, against the sound suggestion of Gundahar maybe, but it gives her something to hold, and a reason to feel like she might really belong here. She didn't really plan on drinking much of it anyway.
Blue eyes sparkle as they skim the crowd for a POI, or even better, a clue or feasible lead to make something of this all make sense.
I can be the best, the first to find something of use on this night of festivity!
What better first impression could someone make?

Interactions: Novelight - Panther - Khocolatte - lunar_moth - TerrorKitty - Admiral19 - OverconfidentMagi - Purity - voided - WinterFestivity

Code by Serobliss

 

[Novelight]

Collbrande of Elesrith

Herrscher

Evelyn von Bismarck

Conference Room, 1ST FLOOR, EMPERON PALACE, IMPERIUS, ELESRITH │ AUGUST 18, 709 EC

An exceptional party dress for a rare occasion, befitting for the one who bears the title of Collbrande of Elesrith. Golden ornaments of various shapes decorated the black dress of the Herrscher, who wore it with pride and dignity, with no room for nervousness to take over her tenacious heart. The blonde stood with confidence and gazed at her guest with a light smile and an accepting nod, acknowledging the arrival of the Collbrande whose beauty rivaled her own. “The honor is mine, Lady Cineris of Anterås. You arrived earlier than the expected minute. The conference will begin shortly once the Collbrande of Volcrest arrives. Mild turbulence in travels seems to have shaken their schedule. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the rest of this ceremony once the talks conclude.”

As the grand hostess of this party, Evelyn gestured towards the seat designated for the Collbrande, whose seat was next to Lord Kaisers. His coat rested on his seat alongside a pile of documents. A sign of his presence, Evelyn filled her in with the necessary details once Luria noticed, “Lord Kaiser should return in less than a minute—as you’ve heard, the Symbol of Revelation is attending this ceremony. He and I share the same childhood thanks to her presence. However, unlike myself, he preferred to greet everyone necessary before starting any politically related conversations. A man of priorities,” Evelyn chuckled, reminding herself of the past.

“We have a few minutes to spare for talks unrelated to our work. Say, do you have plans on enjoying the ceremony once this conference ends? The delights of Elesrith do not disappoint, as you may have heard.”

Panther Luria

Code by Serobliss

 

[Panther]

Collbrandes of Ophelia

Collbrande of Anterås

Luria Cineris

Conference Room, 1st Floor, Emperon Palace, Imperius, Elesrith │ August 18, 709 EC

Luria helped herself unto the chair upon being directed to it, taking her seat while Evelyn filled her in until the ball flew back into the gray lady’s court in the form of a question. She gives her answer, “I will be staying for a while longer. It would be rude of me to accept a personal invitation for an event of such prestige only to merely sit in this room and partake in a talk behind closed doors. I believe it would also be rude to the other esteemed guests such as Her Honor. I will be here partaking in the festivities until tonight’s party comes to an end. Only after that will I get on a flight back to Anterås. It is the least I can do for you all.” Luria gives a smile after stating that.

She glanced over at the documents placed by Draigh’s seat, “If I recall correctly, we will be joining the other guests of the party in that ballroom. It appears to me that Lord Kaiser couldn’t wait to say ‘Hello.’” Then she looks at the other empty seats in the room, giving herself an idea on who would be occupying them later on and what they will be bringing to the discussion that they spent a good time preparing for, much like her.

Interactions: Novelight (Evelyn, Draigh, Vanitas) Khocolatte (Novaskaya)

Code by Serobliss