View source for 5110/P:WtWM - Back in Business

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/02/25
|Location=Alberichstadt <P:WTWM>
|Synopsis=The Majordomo sends a summons to those who assist the Black Queen's Court in secret, to compose a new conspiracy against Die Reisende.
|Cast of Characters=909, 1031, 714, 908, 1086, 915
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The old abandoned coffee shop in the middle of Alberichstadt has actually been just that for quite a while. The Black Queen's court has been quiet on all lines of communication to their secret co-conspirators who attempt to sabotage Die Reisende from within. They have been quite successful on that front, and the promise of more work has yet to be fufilled.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On this day, however? All that will change.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once again, the back door is left unlocked, and the time to arrive coincides with the rush of people heading from school and work to home or places of leisure, allowing those summoned to slip into the alley leading round the back easily. Once inside, they see a surprisingly well-furnished European coffee shop with the only strange feature being the grand mirror that lines the back wall. Despite the exterior illusion of dinginess, there is not even a single speck of dust to be found. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That may be due to the Majordomo, a hulk of a man sitting at the centre table, sipping a cup of espresso that is almost comically small in his ham hands. He is dressed as a traditional butler in his gray suit, a pocket watch open on the table before him, his eyes glancing to it every five seconds in a manner that is as clockwork as the device itself.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, just like an English butler, every now and again, his coat writhes in a ghastly manner, and his eyes are a lurid, piercing yellow.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1031|Ashurel Cloudbank (1031)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When one hears 'Wizard', they expect robes and flowing clothing. And Ashurel looks like that sometimes if she needs to go out and actually play full contact Wizardry. Most of the time, though, they get the Ashurel in front of them now. She's wearing a black tanktop, jeans, a denim coat, with her hair up in a ponytail and a bookbag under one arm. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sits down across from him and puts her hands down on the table, smiling widely, "Hello! Nice to see you again! It has been a while."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:714|Sanary Rondel (714)}} has posed:'''<br> It's been a while since Sanary's last report to the Majordomo and the Black Queen by extension, having kept a low profile both inside and outside of Alberichstadt for once. Being recognizable among the student body is probably the last thing she wants, but... <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Well, it's hard keeping a low profile after her first outing led to her getting an unsavory reputation. Still, the healer's running a little low on funds and her training's stalled, so meeting up with the rest of the crew shouldn't be too bad. She's also sent word of a potential job opportunity to a certain blonde warrior-thespian, and Sanary's soon coming into the coffee shop wearing the uniform of... <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A high schooler. Also, thespian? When did that word ever come up around her? Probably reading reviews of the opera or something. Spotting a familiar giant butler and magus, the one-eyed cleric pulls a chair up for herself before sitting at the same table. "Hey there. Been a while, huh?" Majordomo gets a polite nod, and Ashurel gets a more friendly grin. Her presence helps make things a little less worrisome, at least, since it'd probably look weird if she was the only one meeting the man.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:908|Gudako Ordria (908)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako has been busy, and by busy we mean she's juggling like, ten mobages, come on that takes a lot of time. Truth told she'd lost sight of what Die Reisende had been up to, what with how busy everything else got. She wonders if the Black Queen was ever able to do anything with August's spoon or not. She seemed to really want it at the time.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako finds a seat, still tapping away on her cellphone's screen. Caster is with her, dressed in a nice pink and white sweater with some denim shorts. She likes being people sometimes! Gudako doesn't care enough to argue with her about it.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hi mister! Hi Ashurel, hi Sanary! Hey, do you have chocolate cake?" This is an important question for the Majordomo. This is a coffee shop after all, surely they must carry related desserts.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So this place is weird. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer Almasy actually fits in relatively well here. He's a teenager, he's got a cool weapon, he's got a ghost that lives in his head; that's basically all you need. Truth be told he only came along for Sanary - he's the kind of guy who doesn't like leaving a lady to go into weird places on her own even if she can take care of herself and he's only met her twice and kissed her once. Call it civic duty. Call it gentlemanly attitude. Call it knightly demeanor. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's kind of sexist and it's /real/ dumb, but that's basically the tagline on Seifer Almasy, so. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer remains standing. He's wearing his own clothes. He probably bothered concealing Hyperion under his huge coat, but he's already a nineteen-year-old, nineteen-year-olds dress weird and accompany high school girls. He probably looks like either her boyfriend or her big brother, which probably means he can get away with moving through the place in his own clothes instead of wearing some other costume. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The fairy tales of other worlds are alien. Seifer gives the Majordomo a really long stare before turning his eyes at Gudako and Ashurel, who are both relatively cute girls and much more pleasant to look at. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Uh, hey."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Though the Majordomo is the picture of his archetype (bulk notwitstanding), Ashurel is categorically not. But that's okay, they can still be friends. "Miss Cloudbank," he says with a polite bow of the head. A greeting he repeats to Sanary. "Miss Rondel. It has indeed been a while, and I do have a satisfactory answer for that once you are all here." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako gets a thin smile before the Majordomo produces a dish from under that coat of his, the flaps lifting on their own to allow his hand access. It is indeed a chocolate cake, with pitch-black frosting and some cherries in the centre. It's topped with red and probably has a lot of evil in it, so it's basically a cake themed on Gudako herself.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The new arrival gets a long stare from the Majordomo, which turns the first encounter into a staring contest of sorts. The Majordomo relents, of course, because he's not one for displays of bravado. "Young man, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the Majordomo of the Black Queen's Court. Please, take a seat if you like." He waits for Seifer to decide before rolling his mountainous shoulders and starting to speak.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Some of you may be wondering as to why we have been slow to get in touch, especially after your impressive efforts. These... I believe you call them reality quakes? They had us on edge, if you must know. We were uncertain if this world would be exposed to the multiverse at large, and how that might affect the current balance. The mass upheaval within the minds of people worldwide could have massively altered the Forest, and Die Reisende could have suddenly become able to operate more openly. Certainly, the fear of this sudden, great unknown could have elevated the Queen to levels of power unknown, but the other factors made the risk of working openly too risky for a while. But it seems that things have settled, so we may resume normal operations. Your patience is much appreciated."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He certainly can ramble on, can't he? He takes a moment to let everyone process that and ask questions.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Well the place is weird but the guy is polite. Seifer decides that, yeah, he'll sit. He nods. "Uh, yeah. Yeah. Seifer Almasy. Pleasure." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer leans forward. Reality quakes? Secret operations? Majordomos? Uncharacteristically, Seifer, rather than *talk* first, is just listening for now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1031|Ashurel Cloudbank (1031)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ashurel gives Seifer a big smile, "Hello. Ashurel Cloudbank. I'm a researcher who dabbles in magic." She tells him modestly, adjusting a lock of hair to back behind one of her ears before looking towards the others as they arrive. They get slight waves from her, or nods and smiles. She's hardly anti-social. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I had wondered about the lack of communication, but yes. I did think it was related to all these uncertainties. You haven't upset me one bit," She smiles from ear to ear for the Majordomo, "I understand that patience is a valuable commodity. I have no desire to rush the Black Court in getting back to us about their matters. It's simply good to hear from you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:908|Gudako Ordria (908)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako has critically underestimated the Majordomo.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He has super butler powers.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The empty-eyed teen turns to look at her Servant, ever-smiling. "See, Caster, you could pick up a thing or two from him. Where's MY cake when I ask you for some? You have to cook it, sheesh. What a waste of time."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Caster huffs. She's not angry exactly, but her stare at the Majordomo seems to imply she does not take kindly to him showing her up, however intentionally. Did you know Caster is a possessive, angry waifu?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako helps herself to cake, at any rate.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Between bites, she asks: "So what did you guys need the spoon for?" She has nothing else to ask about what was just said, because it makes perfect sense to her. The Queen had to ensure her hold on things didn't get quaked as hard as the worlds did.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turns back towards Seifer. "Hey, want cake?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:915|Ira MacNally (915)}} has posed:'''<br>Ira's been a silent partner in this whole meeting so far. In fact, she'd been rather scarce ever since the 'mission' that Die Reisende had involving Sascha. They must've been able to confirm that she was the culprit for people being hurled into mirrors for now. But as for what they'd do about it? <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well that was /their/ problem. Ira officially did not care. <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's already helped herself to the cake, listening to the Majordomo's words. "Oh really? Well now that things have settled, seems we've pretty much got...more of the same. Everything's still hidden behind that veil or whichever."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Majordomo offers that thin smile to Ashurel again. "Your understanding is much appreciated. Thank you Miss Cloudbank." Seifer's silent attentiveness is noted and gets an appreciative look. The massive butler seems happy to see he's not here to be a layabout. Ira gets a nod also. "Exactly as we like it. Should you have plans to introduce things from out there here... well, we don't want to tell you what to do, but some forewarning would be appreciated." A look at Gudako makes his face crease momentarily, like he's fighting the urge to go at her mouth with a napkin or reprimand her for eating with her mouth full. "A very good question, and one I intend to answer next."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He reaches into his coat again and produces the silvery spoon in question. "We asked you to take this from Mister Kohler for two reasons. The first was to simply demoralize him. The second was to allow the Black Queen to... experiment. Within the Forest, her powers are absolute. But those who have a Persona, or whose minds are not part of its makeup, enjoy a certain level of resistance to her indirect methods. It was hoped that having something that is reflective and of great sentimental value would help, but that alone is not enough."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The spoon disappears into the writhing folds of his coat once more, and he places his clasped hands on the table. "But Mister Kohler is no longer a priority. The death of the Panzercat-good job on that front by the way-has placed him on the edge. We suspect he may just get himself killed without anymore meddling. Now out focus is on Janine Liberi. To this end, I ask you all a question; were you aware that she has family in Alberichstadt now? This is a recent development, and one we wish to exploit."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer is much more comfortably dealing with pretty girls than creepy butlers. "Oh, uh, yeah, sure," he says to Gudako offhandedly, not really thinking about the fact that the Majordomo just produced a cake magically or that this place is a weird fairy tale hell. His world doesn't really have an equivalent of things like this. It's a pretty cynical place! They killed God in the backstory. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Woah, so you're like a sorceress? Izzat why you're here?" He waves his hand around at the air. He is clearly impressed by the idea of Ashurel being a Sorceress. It's a cultural thing! They're pieces of that God they killed in the backstory. That's impressive. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Uh," Seifer says after a moment, "Are you sayin' you want to go after some girl's family?" <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "The hell for?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:915|Ira MacNally (915)}} has posed:'''<br>"I certainly wasn't aware of this. But I hadn't been paying the rest of Die Reisende much attention recently." Ira's voice is full of disdain. "So what's the big deal with her family? Also you do know that she aggroed Lezard Valeth a while back and got her...I think it was her nanny killed due to her sassing mouth. You want more of her family members to bite it, I bet I could get Lezard to oblidge if I ask him really nicely." <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She takes a moment to wolf down more cake. "Unless you all had something else in mind."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:714|Sanary Rondel (714)}} has posed:'''<br> "Figured as much. Stil lcan't believe all that happened, but..." Sanary shrugs lightly, leaning over momentarily to order an iced coffee for herself. That'll stave off the hunger for a little whiel longer! Gudako and Caster.. Caster? Or was it Berserker? She's always had issues telling them apart. The two get a firm nod along with Ira as she arrives, and then the healer turns her attention to the cake. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Majorodomo. Not cake. Majordomo. Priorities! <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Haven't heard anything about Janine's family being around, no. You want them taken out, or... Were you planning something else?" She trails off briefly and taps a finger to her chin, glancing over at Seifer and Ira to gauge their reactions. The latter seems to have the same thing in mind, but the former... <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She's got her own misgivings, but she's not going to express those just yet. Not without a good reason to.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:908|Gudako Ordria (908)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That's too bad. I'd noticed August could still use his Persona even without the spoon! It didn't seem to bother him that much. Oh well." Handily she cuts a slice of cake for Seifer between bites of her own. Ira brings up a good point about Janine having enemies already, and so Gudako doesn't! She focuses on Seifer instead, who radiates edgy anti-hero like nobody else in the room.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It's because she's a jerk! She's part of this ragtag group that opposes the Black Queen, see, but even by hero standards she's totally insane. She's called the Beast for a reason. I've lost count how many times she's gotten the group in hot water because she can't control herself." Says Gudako. "She needs to learn a lesson, see? And threatening her family would get her into any trap we want."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is all conjecture, and so she turns back towards the Majordomo with a smile. "Is that about right, mister?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Ira gets a slice of cake too.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1031|Ashurel Cloudbank (1031)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh." Ashurel says to the news about August Kohler being on the edge mentally, "If he dies, may I please have his body to perform an autopsy?" She asks a moment later to the Majordomo, "I can return it to his family shortly after for proper burial and disposal." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She doesn't seem to be eating or drinking anything, calmly opening her book bag and jotting down some notes with a quill, "I see, I see. Family in the area. Exploit that." She makes a note of it before looking up at Seifer. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No. I'm a Wizard. Our spells work differently than Sorcerers or Witches." She points out, smiling cheerily, "We have a utility advantage in exchange for being required to prepare our spells every day. Plus, I know a greater variety of spells in exchange for not having access to all of them all the time."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seifer gets a simple answer. "Because they had the misfortune to be related to one who opposes us." As everyone speaks of just killing them, he shakes his head. "Murdering them is Plan B. We are aware of what Mister Valeth has done, and inviting him in for a repeat performance is a clever idea, but we prefer to work with trusted parties first." He smiles at the assembled. "No, for what we have planned, we need to bring upon Miss Liberi's shoulders a tragedy beyond her family dying."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking to Gudako, he nods. "You are correct. She is a thoroughly uncouth individual. Your discerning eye would inform you of this the moment you met her, Mister Almasy." The butler has a wry smile on his face now, he's a sharp one. "So, if we do not wish you to kill them, you must be wondering what we want out of you. And the answer to that is simple. Once again, we would like you to take something from Miss Liberi, but also her family living in Alberichstadt. Specifically, her mother and her younger brother and sister. Again, it has to have sentimental value to them and have a reflective surface to be ideal. You may do this however you like, but I do remind you that your greatest value lies in that Die Reisende does not know that we are collaborating. Thus, a subtle approach is preferred."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He pauses for a moment, before seemingly remembering something. "Ah, yes. Just to be clear, some of you may be considering Miss Liberi's treasured sword as a viable thing to take. We would rather you did not. The disappearance of Mister Kohler's spoon is easily explained as a small thing vanishing into the clutter that a teenage boy will produce. A sword is much harder to lose track of. Furthermore, the ongoing loss of items used to summon their Persona starts to look like a pattern. Take the sword only if nothing else presents itself."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer's reaction, Sanary and Ira, is a level of anger. He stands up, knocking over the chair in the process as Gudako sets cake down in front of him. "Hold the hell up! Just because she's kinda a bitch doesn't mean you can..." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; His confusion and anger slowly cools. She's called /the Beast/. She can't control herself. She gets other people hurt. She needs to learn a lesson. And they don't wanna kill her family. There's an uncomfortable moment where Seifer is clearly turning this over in his head, and then... <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ...and then he just...quietly sits down. Lin probably ain't gonna like that, but...well...he'd done things for less noble reasons than making sure somebody could control themselves in the event of REAL danger. Theft is...you know, it's /theft/. It's not...murder. It's...hell, hasn't he stolen stuff from Zell? Hasn't he jacked things to get Zell to toughen up and learn to get his shit under control? A danger to the team...yeah, that can't be excused, right? <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "So you want us to...take somethin' with sentimenal value? So it'll...mess with 'em and lead her into the lesson? OK, I can get behind that, I guess." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "So what've you got in mind?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1031|Ashurel Cloudbank (1031)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Antique mirror? Hand-me-down jewelry? Heirloom silverware!" Ashurel ponders what they could take, "Wedding China. Grandma's prized cooking pot." Ashurel rocks in her seat a bit while considering what possible thing could be so valuable to the entire family. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh. A family member's ashes in one of those bronze urns." She thinks about it, looking to the Majordomo, "We'd need to see the house. Academic Spring Break is coming up. Perhaps Miss Liberi will be convinced to hold a party or social gathering if enough of the group can pressure her, and we can use it to scout her home."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:714|Sanary Rondel (714)}} has posed:'''<br> Sanary nods slowly in approval as Majordomo confirms that the plan indeed isn't to kill Janine's family members. As much as the healer is willing to get her hands dirty for personal gain, it's... Rather hard to justify it when she actually has a name and a face she recognizes connected to a target. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That's why the idea of a tragedy worse than family members getting killed draws an intrigued look from the one-eyed healer. Seifer's outburst gets her to sit up a bit, but the reaction is rather understandable. Actors aren't killers, after all! <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "... And taking their stuff'll be worse than just offing them? Hm... Alright. Gonna be tricky getting near them or the place without anyone asking questions about why we're suddenly getting so close, though." Sanary strokes her chin again while sipping on her coffee, wrinkling her nose a bit and grunting in approval at Ashurel's suggestion. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Anyone know if she's got a birthday coming up?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:908|Gudako Ordria (908)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Something like that, then~" Gudako says, after the Majordomo confirms what she got right and wrong. After Ashurel offers some ideas, she begins doing so in that breakneck pace of hers when trying to optimize.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So, we can approach this three ways! We could have someone like Lezard assault her, which everyone would buy is something he'd do, and sneak in through the back door to steal stuff while everyone's busy clashing with mister Valeth. If we ask nicely he'd probably do it, and we can tell him not to kill anyone. That or we have Shadows do it."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She raises her fingers, counting to two with them. "We could organize a trip to her house under some guide or another, like miss Cloudbank suggests, and just take stuff when she isn't looking, or when nobody's there, but that's pretty risky because there's people in the group with a knack for tracking people. We'd have to hire some thieves unrelated to us and kill them after the job's done if we really want a no-traces transaction." She doesn't know Seifer technically has the skillset to pull off professional thievery.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Or three, the Mirror Forest could ~conveniently~ kidnap her family and we'll help ourselves once everyone's through the mirrors. They'll probably buy that whatever disappeared was taken by the Shadows and go on a--"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako stops.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her grin widens.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh. Oh oh oh! I know someone we could guide to make a mess for us. That fiesty girl we ensured became a rogue Persona user. We'll just make her believe she absolutely ~must~ assault Janine's home and make off with her family. Anything that goes missing the group will blame on her. We'll help ourselves while they're dealing with that."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:915|Ira MacNally (915)}} has posed:'''<br>"It's ironic, too, because /I'm/ the one with The Beast." Ira asides to Seifer despite his mounting anger over her casual suggestion of murdering family members. It doesn't seem to bother her much either. She's never met Seifer before, she doesn't know his standards. He clearly has limits. "Oh, I see, so you want us to make sure a few momentos vanish. Doesn't she come from one of those rich families though? Might mean increased security. Meaning it's up to you guys..." she looks meaningfully to Sanary, Guadako, and Ashurel, "...to use your tricky magic stuff to pull that off. A delinquent like me won't be able to get anywhere near such upstanding individuals." <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She toys with her cake, stabbing the soft bread with her fork. "What, you mean Sascha? Heh, shouldn't be hard to do, especially since Die Reisende and pals have recently gotten on her bad side. As for hanging out with them, I don't know if I want to anymore. They bother me. I don't even need to /try/ to sabatoge their efforts, they do it to themselves." <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ira seems pretty frustrated.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seifer's outburst makes the Majordomo quirk his eyebrow. "Your chivalry is to be admired Mister Almasy. But it is wasted on this girl. She is a foul brat, and what we plan to do would actually be benefical for her family. I know we have never met, but put your faith in us. We are monsters, but monsters born of man. We are only as bad as you are, and you seem to be not all bad. Thus, we are not either." Shaky logic, but fairy tales are not known for their astounding empiricism. Ashurel's musings on what could conceivably be taken draws nods from the Majordomo. "It does not have to be a singular item. Something from each of them is equally valid. Make it something easily misplaced if you can, or figure out a means of leaving a substitute. The less suspicion you arouse, the better." He looks to Sanary and smirks, nodding knowingly. "She does, in fact. That is your best bet if you want to take them during a gathering."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gudako's three suggestions each draw a nod from the massive Shadow. "Each one is a valid plan. I am still uncertain as to how trustworthy Mister Valeth is, but I trust your judgement Miss Ordria. If you want to arrange them to be 'taken,' we can arrange for the usual things to happen to make it seem proper."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He looks to Ira, and offers an understanding nod. "Your ongoing patience is valued, Miss MacNally. If this pans out, we will have the means to deal with them permanently, and they'll be out of your hair forever, this I promise. But, we have yet to discuss compensation." He sits up straighter and offers a smile. "You have been given minor positions in the court-save for you of course, Mister Almasy, but that can be arranged. If you succeed, you will be elevated, and even introduced to the Blacksmith. If you wish it, he can hone you items of great value to use within the Forest. The means of creating spaces of your own within it, great and terrible weapons... of course, they will not work outside of it... not yet anyway."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; That /does/ make sense, in a weird way. Seifer crosses his arms and /thinks/ about it. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is the part where an eloquent, well-read, thoughtful gentleman might say something like 'wait, but men are equally capable of horrible things' or 'humanity perpetrates all sorts of violence.' <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer is none of those things. So he just says, "...yeah, I guess that's true." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Alright, well...if it's just stealin' some stuff, I'm pretty good at that. I got...some training. I may not look like it but I'm actually a pretty talented guy." He jerks a thumb at himself. "So I'm...I guess I'm down to help." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "What, like...like 'Sir'?" Seifer asks, and suddenly he sounds a lot less like a discerning mercenary and a lot more like an eager kid interested in being called Sir Almasy on a regular basis by people who are not close to him. "Alright, well, I'll help...but just to teach her a lesson! Nobody dies. I'm not a murderer and I ain't gonna be one." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ha ha, oh Seifer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1031|Ashurel Cloudbank (1031)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ashurel sighs a bit and tucks another lock of hair behind her ear, "Alright. I suppose I can help out with this mission as well. I have mostly been tied up with research lately, so it will be good to get out of the house." She decides, tapping her chin and then snapping her very large grimoire shut as she looks around the room, "Don't worry, Mister Almasy. No one will ask you to commit murder."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:714|Sanary Rondel (714)}} has posed:'''<br> "Seriously? Convenient. Sounds like we need to convince her to do that, then." Sanary chuckles lightly and gives Ashurel a quick thumbs-up. "Hey, you know I'm around if you need a help with that." Afterwards, she steals another glance at the cake, that dark mass of decadence tempting her. Taunting her. But... Dammit, it'd be weird if she just asked for a piece of that right now. No, she'll just have to bide her time. Someone's going to ask first. Someone else. Or... Hey, maybe someone's even going to offer to cut it. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Just be patient. Gudako's plan draws an intrigued hum from the healer, although she does look mildly skeptical after a moment. "I.. Probably shouldn't go anywhere near Sascha if we go with that. She might recognize me from last time." Ira gets an apologetic look at that point. Seifer, meanwhile, gets an approving nod! Maybe he really is an alright dude after all... Maybe. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The talk of court positions does manage to get Sanary's attention back on the topic at hand, at least. "Eh? Interesting. Gotta know, though. These... Positions. And the weapons. If they're only good in the Forest, then we're still pretty much where we are now outside of there?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:915|Ira MacNally (915)}} has posed:'''<br>"Well, if we went near her, Ashurel could use one of those disguise spells like she used that one time." Ira suddenly says, recalling a previous event where Ashurel did just that so she could keep her cover against the Woodsman. "Would be useful for the two of us approaching Sascha." she says to Sanary. <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her furstrated gaze turns to the Majordomo, "Well good. I'd settle for just leaving their little group, honestly." There's a hint of unease about her for this. Maybe, like Seifer, she doesn't really want to see the other persona users /dead/, given that's what the 'deal with them permanently' does suggest.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:909|Janine Liberi (909)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seifer gets a nod and a tight smile from the Majordomo. "A proper knighthood could be in order if you work hard and show your loyalty. And we do appreciate on how upfront you are on the lines you draw. We'll not ask you things such as that in future." How upstanding!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We appreciate your time Miss Cloudbank. And... I realize I never answered your question, so I shall now. We have no need or want for the bodies of Die Reisende. As they die, you are welcome to them." He looks to Sanary next, a small smile on his face. "The Court is wonderful. I'm sure you'll get to meet them soon enough. Perhaps when you come to meet the Blacksmith."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, he looks to Ira, an understanding smile on his face. "Humans are frustrating, are they not? So many petty rules they hold themselves to, and expect others to be the same. The Forest cares little for that. The one rule is simple; obey the Black Queen or be crushed. You would be more than welcome there once this is all over."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He pauses again, and adds, "Ah, one more thing." With a bit of distaste, he produces... a rat from inside his coat. The rat holds in its mouth two bits of paper, with sketches of Emily and Kotone on them. "The Piper asked me to request something of you all. He wants information on these two. It seems they irked him when they fought, and he wishes to deal with them personally. In exchange for this, he is prepared to offer boots that will let you part the trees of the Forest, similar to what he does. This is purely a side-offer, unrelated to Court business, so accept it at your own discretion."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:1086|Seifer Almasy (1086)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Well that's goddamn agreeable! More agreeable than SeeD ever was. "Sure," Seifer says to both the Majordomo and Ashurel, "Sounds good to me, then." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seifer looks at the paper. "Uhhh, just...info? Yeah, I can do that, sure."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:714|Sanary Rondel (714)}} has posed:'''<br> "Oh yeah... That /would/ be helpful. Hm." Sanary nods slowly at Ira's reminder, another chuckle leaving the axe cleric after a few moments as she smirks at Ashurel. "We'll be relying on you, then. Ah... I should probably avoid talking if we do that, though. After last time..." <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Her expression drops just a bit, and she's already looking mildly discouraged. She really thought that sounded cool and not... Yokel-y! <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The fact that Majordomo didn't quite say anything about stuff that would be useful outside of the Forest does have her pausing for a moment, but... Well, it's not like she's been to the Court proper yet. Maybe it really is better than the Forest itself. <br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Fair enough... Hm? Fancy boots for info on the butler and the..." Sanary peers at the photos, looking between them a few times while stroking her chin. "... Not really sure what the other one's deal is. But yeah, I'll keep my eye and ears open for info on these two."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:915|Ira MacNally (915)}} has posed:'''<br>"Ah. To be....welcome." Ira muses idly. "I don't think I've ever felt...welcome in my own world." Indeed, she realizes, anyone she'd consider a friend was someone who existed outside of her own world. Even in the Mirror Forest, she didn't feel at home. All the more reason to take it over and redecorate, really. <br> <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Those are both familiar, yes." she points at the pictures, "I can put together something for him in time."<br> <br>
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