Predictable, but necessary. [color=a187be][b]“I know so much because I am one of the most omnipotent beings alive, second only to one. I gather intelligence by looking through the part of yourselves that you are the least aware of, the part of you that is always present. It is through that source that I acquire information about you.”[/b][/color] Aeva offered cryptically. [color=a187be][b]“And your second question offers me too many accurate answers. Settling for one is nearly impossible, so instead you can just consider me a much needed ally in this fight.” [/b][/color] [color=fff79a][b]“Ain’t that the truth,”[/b][/color] Rika mumbled, cocking her head towards Ace with an unimpressed expression. Teaming up with the rebellion was a great moral decision, yet the leadership had left a lot to be desired. [color=ed1c24][b]“Will our friends here be okay?”[/b][/color] Lin’s voice brimful of concern for her new friends and comrades, she looked to Alem, Osa and Okal who had still been together in the distance. She had already said her goodbyes with them, followed by Alem offering her a small trinket of unknown origin. He intended it to be for Asahina’s benefit, as well as a memento of Agrabah. With her vanishing, something Alem quietly blamed her for, he had passed it down to Lin instead. It was resting in her pocket, tucked away as a precious item. A tearful goodbye with Osa and Okal followed Alem’s offering, with Okal mentioning that if she were to ever come back she could have a permanent discount of his items. Their time was short, but she’d cherish what little they had. Aeva nodded her head, [color=a187be][b]“My associate and I will remain behind to work with the rebel presence here. The last of the Empire’s stragglers are being dealt with as we speak. You do not have to worry about them – they’re capable people.” [/b][/color] Lin returned the confidence Aeva gave with a smile, [color=ed1c24][b]“I’m very glad to hear that!”[/b][/color] [color=fff79a][b]“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!” [/b][/color]Rika took the initiative of entering the portal first, but not before offering Aeva a quick wink. Lin took off next, leaving Ace to be the last to enter. The trip was brief and thankfully not at all like the trip to Agrabah. Rather than a panicked state of mind, Lin was uplifted by the experience of traversing the unknown. While intimidating, the mysterious woman offered Rika and Lin a decent ride for the short time they spent crossing from one realm to another, leaving the couple to experience a free fall effect that left them experience a weightless sensation. Once they had landed their feet again, the ladies’ took immediate notice of the new environment. The dry, humid air of Agrabah was replaced by the welcoming salt-ridden breeze of the port town. Both pairs of eyes examined the surrounding area; an impressive, seemingly abandoned mansion was just behind them. Up ahead was an open gate that likely descended to town. [color=fff79a][b]“Alright. She knows how to withhold details, but I trust her, she hasn’t been wrong so far.”[/b][/color] Rika spoke, approaching the open gate with Lin close beside her. With the change in scenery being most welcome, the assassin unbound the jacket wrapped around her waist and shook it free of the dirt and debris that might have clung to it. As she equipped the clothing back onto her body and left it unzipped, she stopped and looked out towards the town with Lin. A beautiful day coupled with a bustling town with several ships in the harbor – Rika thought it was the opening to a film. [color=ed1c24][b]“This is a beautiful world,”[/b][/color] Lin was beginning to grow excited at the change in scenery, especially scenery so colorful and alive. [color=fff79a][b]“Beautiful, but even more dangerous than Agrabah,”[/b][/color] Rika saw the curiosity in Lin’s eyes, but her enthusiastic smile didn’t fade, [color=fff79a][b]“Give it a little time and you’ll understand.” [/b][/color] ~-~ A multitude of expressions were shared among the Turks as Ryoko continued her story; none showed much sympathy regarding her own trauma, especially since the world they were in was peaceful, and they intended to keep it that way by any means necessary. In place of the compassion the Turks lacked, they were listening to Ryoko steadily make her position worse with each and every word. All eyes eventually returned to Shinobu as she decided to ask a question, yet Shinobu was in another mode of silence in order to process her new information. With the break, Reno cleared his throat and raised his hand. [color=ed1c24][b]“Let me just say that I called it; I mean that speech we caught was pretty bad, we all know it, but I was the one who bet that he blew it up. None of you believed it as much as I did.”[/b] [/color]Reno looked smug about his guess, almost proud of it. It was rare that he could completely one-up his partners like this. [color=fff200][b]“That’s because it was a ridiculous outcome. Who blows up their own storehouse?”[/b][/color] Elena asked. Reno shrugged, [color=ed1c24][b]“I don’t know, someone desperate? I’m not paid to monitor that guy,”[/b][/color] his eyes fell on Ryoko, [color=ed1c24][b]“but you on the other hand, you are working with the cream of the crop, aren’t you? What good is being a big, bad general if you can’t—“ [/b][/color] Shinobu had slowly gotten to his feet, immediately making Reno silence himself and stand a little straighter. The others weren’t sure of what was about to come next. The well-groomed man in power slowly stepped out from his desk and moved around to approach Ryoko, keeping his pace slow and uncertain. His next move was unknown to the Turks present, yet the suspicion that Ryoko was going to be torn apart psychologically was the strongest possibility. It was rare that Shinobu acted on anyone physically. Ryoko could at least feel some small measure of comfort knowing he would not strike her, but that did not take away from his piercing eyes staring directly at her as he came around. For the few moments he settled beside her, Shinobu up towards the ceiling and took a deep breath before he figured out a good starting point. [color=a36209][b]“So,”[/b][/color] he spoke suddenly, making Elena flinch slightly, [color=a36209][b]“I am to understand that your chain-of-command is both inefficient and reckless? I’ll admit I had my suspicions about the true story behind that warehouse incident as the rest of my companions. There was no value in a rebel attack on a facility only known for storing food and precious supplies, supplies obviously kept from the people.”[/b][/color] His jaw tightened, eyes narrowing dangerously towards Ryoko’s hands as if monitoring her stress level. She was never strong at keeping her composure. What she understood now, most importantly, was that she had no choice now. He was her old friend, but that did not mean he would ignore her mistakes, mistakes that could have easily been avoided. [color=a36209][b]“This character you’re upset with, this ‘Nomis’, is precisely the reason why the rebel groups exist. An Empire can maintain order and be valued by the people they’re working with, yet the good deeds of any competent representative of that Empire can be ignored because of a complete simpleton’s actions, a simpleton who was so quick to pin something on the rebel faction that he cost innocent lives and wasted precious resources. Was that not an alarm, Ryoko?”[/b][/color] Shinobu’s tone was growing much deeper and unfriendly due to the subject. He paused to recompose himself before he continued again.[color=a36209][b] “Do you know why a rebel presence is essentially nonexistent in Twilight Town? It’s because I work closely with the people here; I listen, I aid, and I especially do not remain lax when I see an unjustified use of power. I took the slander, I endured my critics, and I kept in control of the situation. I took a risk to back the Empire during my campaign run because I believed in the order it could provide to this world – to ALL worlds. I am the Mayor of this beautiful, serene town. Do you know what you are, Ryoko?”[/b][/color] His voice was beginning to rise, the power of his chords unmatched by anyone in this room. If Ryoko wanted to get into a screaming contest, she’d always lose. Her best interests were his; her pride was always a problem, yet he was not a complete stranger to who she is and what she’s lived through. Even now, he was still her friend. [color=a36209][b]“You are a beautiful, strong, and intelligent woman who had fought her way to the role of General within the Empire’s military forces. So what I am wondering is why someone I respect so much is sitting here ranting to me about something that is in her power to fix with her own two hands? Take control of the situation as a leader, or you go to someone who can, and who will. The very top of the leadership. The one person you answer to.”[/b][/color] He didn’t have to say the name. She no doubt understood what he was saying by now.[color=a36209][b] “Now let me ignore that poor excuse of a leader for just one moment, and let me address what now concerns me. You bring a single rebel here and leave him in a hotel room, unattended? For what purpose? Perhaps we should go there right now and set him free. After all, he was probably trying to stop people like Nomis from destroying the architecture of a world that does not belong to him, of a palace that did not belong to him, for a few people who threatened him. What do you think, Ryoko?”[/b][/color]