Well, phase one was easily completed minus an imbecile who was likely to harass her thoroughly until she cried out ‘sexual harassment’ at the top of her lungs. The communication device was pocketed rather than placed within her jacket, unable to find usage for it at this time. Getting in with those unbound rebels was easy enough, now came time to figure out how to maximize her profits with this entire war. No mistake could be made when suspecting that the Empire had vastly much more wealth in the form of that conveniently compact currency known as ‘munny’, not to mention the silver bars she had managed to nab before the portal fiasco with the warehouse. With that data in her possession, figuring out how to make the best use of it was her next objective. Contact with an Imperial representative could be risky, but as long as she chose the right one to make contact to she could squeeze out a few bonuses. All there was now was a question of who to play with more…

[b]“Nowhere else to be, hm?”[/b] Rika muttered under her breath, hearing the footsteps of Shizuka approach. Putting on a smile as she turned to look at the girl skipping to her side, the thief figured helping strengthen her credibility with the rebels would be easier if she kept Shizuka around for a little while longer. The girl’s attention moved to the sky, which definitely beat the poor sight of the city once light started to hit it. It was filthier than she had initially expected upon her first arrival, but there was nothing more to be expected. Empire’s that took over by force rarely cared for the well-being of a cities architecture and appearance. All that money had to be going somewhere, it may as well be her that found a better use for it than sitting in some vault. Humoring Shizuka as she reflected on her past, Rika listened to her recollection of the world as she used to know it, starting with something she referred to as a ‘keyblade’. Her knowledge of that thing and what exactly it was happened to be limited, but she knew enough to know it was a rare weapon that was considered by some to be ‘legendary’. Curious as to her stake in all this, Shizuka had asked one question Rika couldn’t answer. 

[b]“I could make up some heartfelt story about how the Empire killed my family or something, but truth is …I’m only trying to get by in this world. Working with your ragtag pals is a kindness I didn’t even know I had in me, and as long as I get paid it might stay that way.”[/b] Rika patted Shizuka on the shoulder firmly. [b]“Don’t take it personal, it’s just business and I need to look out for myself. You can’t count on anyone but yourself, and if you’re not careful someone in your group is going to turn on you …like that whip guy, he looks like he’d sell you guys out for enough of a reward. Trust me, I know a possible snitch when I see one.”[/b] Shizuka was a nice enough girl, perhaps she’d take Rika’s advice, especially of the traitorous portion. That Trisean was no good.

[b]“So, when are you going to stop looking at me back there, huh?”[/b] Rika looked over her shoulder, eyes meeting the strangest woman with an odd haircut. Green-haired with a focused stare, yet appearing to be unarmed, Rika had heard the steps of this woman approaching for the past thirty seconds but there had yet to be a gap attempted to be closed. There wasn’t an attempt to sneak up on her either, and although Shizuka was also present beside her the eyes of that woman had never left Rika’s back. Stopping in her tracks, Rika turned around entirely to meet this new woman face-to-face. She had been hovering around far too long to just be ‘heading in the same direction’, and while she didn’t own this street, she owned anyone who looked at her for too long. [b]“Is there a problem?”[/b]

~-~ 

Lightly stirring a cup of coffee in hand, a raven-haired woman in an isolated part of Hollow Bastion had sat outside of a café that would not ‘open’ for another several minutes. She was very much alone, but was content by that fact; being alone would make her job easier, especially considering what she was prepared to do for the sake of this world. Dressed in a dark sailor fuku that certainly looked out of place on a grown woman who appeared in her late twenties, there was a regal look to her even if all she was doing was sitting patiently. 

[b]“Pepper, introduce yourself…”[/b] she would mutter under her breath. Attention towards Rika was a given, but it was the one beside her that Aeva was curious about. The resemblance to a certain little girl was uncanny, and while she promised that she wouldn’t get too deeply involved in this world’s populace, it was Shizuka that was making her consider breaking it. Her son, more sympathetic to the cause of a fighting rebel force, would likely share her consideration. [b]“And be discreet about this.”[/b] Taking a long sip of her drink, she pulled her head back and exhaled, content.

All around her, shadows had begun to gather…