[center][h3][color=87CEEB]Seung Eun-Ji[/color] | [color=fff200]Leon Solaire[/color][/h3]
[@Jumbus][/center]
[hr][center][center][h3]Through the Riverboat[/h3][/center]
The Lorentine Queen | Nighttime[/center]

Leon led the two when approaching the double doors going into the lounge. He turned around walking backwards while he talked to his company. [color=fff200][b]“Well Eun-Ji, I know the cargo hold was just an excuse to get me alone. But I really am trying to get this mission done, so let's try to stay on track here.”[/b][/color] Leon quipped in a joking manner. [color=fff200][b]“Besides, I think the cargo hold might actually hold the lyre too. So that's a plus.”[/b][/color] Leon stopped outside the two doors and turned his attention to them, his eyes leaving Eun-Ji last.

There was a lot of commotion coming from there. The lounge seemed lively, that's always a good thing. Leon would be in his element with all the people. Taking an elated breath in with anticipation for an adoring crowd. With an exaggerated push, the doors swung wide open. Only for Leon to realise just how many people were there and that he was supposed to get through them at a reasonable pace… Impossible.

Eun-Ji looked at Leon as he quipped in jest, face remaining expressionless. [color=87CEEB][i]Ah. He was joking.[/i][/color] she mused in her mind, the joke taking a second before she caught on to it. [color=87CEEB]”Right… In any case, that was indeed why I suggested checking the cargo hold.”[/color] she continued as she followed behind Leon as they entered the longue.

She didn’t pause for more than a split second as she continued on, driven by instinct that was tempered by years of experience. [color=87CEEB]”Let’s move on. Please follow me.”[/color] Her words were said without turning her gaze to look at Leon. Despite how crowded the small lounge was, Eun-Ji’s practiced eyes found a route effortlessly and near instantly, while her mind and body coordinated perfectly to navigate through it all.

Mere moments later, she arrived into a hallway, wide enough that only about three could walk abreast.

Leon looked back to see Eun-Ji’s face, unflinched by his words. Emotionless as ever. He rubbed the back of his neck as he entered the lounge. What was with everyone being so cold tonight? Certainly there was an important mission ahead, but he thought they could at least have some fun with it.

Continuing on into the lounge, Leon was not nearly as effective as Eun-Ji moving through large crowds. [color=fff200]“Woah, hey, no need to spill the drink.”[/color] He helped stop a man from tripping, leveling his drink. [color=fff200]“There are better places for it than on the floor.”[/color] He left with a twirl continuing on, Eun-Ji was just ahead of him now. Then a clearly drunk woman grabbed him for a dance. Not wanting to be impolite, he took her for a few steps of a waltz. Appearances were important after all. But as soon as possible he finessed the woman’s hands onto another's, slipping away. Eun-Ji had made some distance.

Leon finally caught up to her in the hallway. [color=fff200][b]“Those people are ravenous, I don’t know how you made it out unscathed.”[/b][/color] Clearing exaggerating some form of tiredness.

[color=87CEEB]”I’m just used to it.”[/color] she said simply, glancing back at Leon as he caught up to her. Her gaze soon seemed to go to something or someone behind Leon instead, however, as she noticed someone approaching them. Or specifically, Leon.


From behind them, he heard the unmistakable sound of a fan recognizing him. [color=fff200][i] Not now. Any time but now.[/i][/color] He couldn’t afford to stick around and entertain the drunken masses, as much as he wanted to. Leon knew he had already held up the trip too long and time was of the essence. Reaching into his pouch, he took out a couple of marbles and tossed them toward the hallway entrance. [color=fff200][b]“Always good to meet my fans! But duty calls I’m afraid.”[/b][/color] He delivered with a showman’s tongue as the marbles exploded into a gentle dance of glitter, obscuring the hallway from the patrons’ eyes.

[color=fff200][b]”Okay, let's get out of here. Quickly.”[/b][/color]

Eun-Ji nodded, turned her gaze forward once more, and started moving in controlled haste again. [color=87CEEB]”Agreed.”[/color]

The pair continued moving, past the door with a pair of mages that were busy powering the engines that moved the great riverboat's novel 'paddle-wheels'. Eun-Ji glanced at Leon, casually pointing at three figures that moved in a hurry matching their own pace, some distance in front of them. [color=87CEEB]”Mages. And suspiciously in a hurry while moving towards the direction of the cargo hold. I do not like the implication.”[/color] After saying so, Eun-Ji increased her pace even more, ignoring the merry patrons around.

The patrons however, didn’t exactly ignore them in return. Especially Leon. Eun-Ji merely got some curious looks due to her being an exotic. But Leon, on the other hand… “Leon? Leon Solaire? My goodness, it truly is him!” Once more, a fan of his. A middle aged man, approaching the famed entertainer with a wide smile on his face. His shout caused others to look as well, and some of them seemed to also show recognition on their faces.

Leon continued following Eun-Ji until he heard someone calling his name from behind. His eyes widened, they were truly relentless. He slowly turned around to see a fan slowly emerging from the glitter bomb he unleashed in the hallway and more followed him. Would they stop at nothing? There were super fans sure, but this seemed as if something more bestial drove them hidden behind a friendly smile. What else could he do to stop their relentless advance?

[color=fff200][b]“Eun-Ji, I’ll handle this. If I don’t make it out alive, let Carmilla know it probably wouldn’t have worked out between me and her anyway.”[/b][/color] Leon took a last look at Eun-Ji before the hoard was upon him, eventually he just lost sight of her.


With an inhale for bravery, Leon mustered the energy to take on the ravenous crowd. [color=fff200][b]”Well hey, it’s always good to meet fans. What can I do for ya?”[/b][/color]

[color=87CEEB]”.....”[/color] Hearing Leon’s words, Eun-Ji stopped and looked backward at the one excited fan and the others that were starting to converge on the famous entertainer. Should she really just go away and let Leon handle these people? They were already nearby the cargo hold, and getting separated now would complicate the mission.

No, it simply will not do.

Thus, just as some of the fans were starting to speak up, the lights inside the room suddenly dimmed, plunging the room into darkness as Eun-Ji drew from them. The crowd was distracted, looking around at the suddenly darkened room. Swiftly, Eun-Ji moved, slipping through the crowd, taking Leon’s right hand and pulling him with her while casting an illusion spell on him to make him disappear from sight.

It was only for a few seconds and the light returned to normal. “What was that about, I wonder?” mumbled one of the crowd. “Wait, where’s he? Mr. Leon?” said another.

Leon continued to chat with his adoring fans until the lights started to dim and a hand grabbed him. [color=fff200][b]"Hey, hey, I love my fans but please don't be so handsy… Oh! Eun-Ji it's just you."[/b][/color] Recognizing the situation, he started to lower his voice into a whisper.

Meanwhile, Eun-Ji continued moving, left hand grabbing Leon’s hand as she walked beside the still invisible man as she maintained the spell on him. [color=87CEEB]”Do pardon my decision.”[/color] she whispered softly. [color=87CEEB]”But I judged that being separated now will not help any of us.”[/color]

[color=fff200][b]"I am fine with hand holding Eun-Ji, there is no need for pardons."[/b][/color]

Leon then turned a call into the hallway. [color=fff200][b]"This is farewell for now. But I'll be doing a show outside the cargo hold. Get as many people as you can and drink as much as you like."[/b][/color]

Hearing Leon’s words, the crowd turned their gaze to see Leon with Eun-Ji moving away, already out of reach. A few seemed at first like they wanted to give chase, but either because of how uncouth that will look like to other people or because of Leon’s promise of a show, they relented. Instead, these excited few along with some others maintained a degree of calm as they started to plan to indeed attend the promised show.

Likely, the area outside the cargo hold will soon become quite chaotic.

Eun-Ji let go of Leon’s hand, giving him a nod. [color=87CEEB]”Would I be correct if I make an assumption that you’re intending to use the crowd to our advantage in securing the Lyre? If so, that is a very clever plan, Leon.”[/color]

[color=fff200][b]"Well that and a party goers crowd will turn that riot into nothing but a drunken brawl. That makes it just another normal night in Feska rather than the start of some revolution."[/b][/color]

Eun-Ji paused for a brief before nodding once more in approval. [color=87CEEB]”I see. Very, very clever indeed.”[/color] The smallest hint of a smile was briefly on her face. She was impressed that Leon actually planned that widely. She didn’t even think of the riot at all, her mind having decided that the task fell to the others for that.

Thus the two continued on, right on the tail of the three suspicious mages. Soon enough, they arrived right where they needed to be, near the trapdoor to the Cargo Hold. And there stood the three mages that Leon and Eun-Ji had been chasing, facing against two men standing in front of the trapdoor. The stances of all five individuals suggested an imminent beginning of hostility.