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[color=78CBE8]“Better Bedding.”[/color] Khaliun immediately answered Fat Yuri’s question on where to slip his good word.

[color=DAF23B]“I like your style.”[/color] the jolly man winked. Khaliun grinned a wicked smile.. [color=DAF23B]“Don’t do that. Is creepy.”[/color] that said, he grinned back, much the same.

Khaliun finished her steak and comendered a local to push her wheelchair. A foreign feeling for this indomitable Strazi to be reliant on others, and one she was sure to repay generously. Her next destination was on the third floor, but first a trip to the marbles. An opportunity caught her eyes, and it came under the form of two temporal marbles bought at half price from “haggling”. That death gaze of her’s had its charms, apparently.

Now they were at the lottery. But Khaliun wasn’t here to gamble.

[color=75C260]“The nationals, eh?”[/color] the man behind the counter, unimpressed by the schmuck that foolishly tried their luck on such a game. A tax on the poor, she always believed.

[color=78CBE8]“Yes.”[/color] the royal guard replied, flat as ever. When given a pack of tickets, she filled them with random numbers, and then made sure to save a final one for last as she gave them all in one go. And with that came the first ball with the winning number: 185.

But Khaliun did not wait for the ball to just roll to the handler’s hand in its own, good time. The moment the ball dropped from the spinning mechanism, the marbles were stirred. Two seconds were reversed, then as she was about to give the tickets, she filled in the winning number, making sure it came first.

The man’s jaw dropped.. [color=75C260]“I can’t believe this …”[/color] and yet the proof was there. An awkward silence followed, and again Khaliun grinned. It was clear they weren’t too sure what to do when the big wins were achieved. [color=75C260]“We, of course, um ... don't keep that much cash onsite to pay out.. We can offer you ₽10,000 for now, the rest to be picked up from the lottery office in twoo weeks' time.”[/color]

[color=78CBE8]“Acceptable.”[/color]

The money was claimed in big bags that rested upon Khaliun’s thighs, but the Vossoriyan wasn’t done. [color=78CBE8]“Now, information.”[/color] she posed a small sack that contained the amount they expected. [color=78CBE8]“What do you have to offer?”[/color] there was no beating around the bush with this one.

[color=aquamarine]“Two questions.”[/color] a tall, rangy woman with a face mostly masked by a veil, proposed, to which Khaliun tilted her head in muse. [color=78CBE8]“Which shop has the real sword? You know which one.”[/color]

[color=aquamarine]“Cutting Edge.”[/color]

The girl squinted at the speed of the service. But she took it. [color=78CBE8]“And what are the big rumours going around as of recent?”[/color]

[color=aquamarine]“Plenty of stuff swirling. Heard some foreign kids have been getting into trouble lately. Only a matter of time before some of our 'Masked Security' comes down on them if they keep it up. Also heard a couple more Hegelans disappeared, one while exploring that cave across from the monastery. People are saying he visited a crafter down close to the Collapse, name of Vladimir, works a lot with Hegelans. They say he's been keeping a hegelan boy with him. Not sure why. Might wanna check out the collapse too if you can handle a chaos marble. There's bound to be one in there somewhere.”[/color]


The corner of Khaliun's lips twitched. [color=78CBE8]"Appreciated."[/color] Just as she's about to leave, she turned back, 50 oubles added to the pot. [color=78CBE8]"Is the hammer the real deal?"[/color]

The woman behind the counter considered for a moment, eyes narrowing behind the veil. Then, she nodded. [color=aquamarine]"It is."[/color]

Khaliun scoffed, not at the info broker, but at the conclusions she made after hearing the answer. She seemed  both amused and bewildered by this revelation. It was time to verify this herself. 

To the Hammerschlag.

With precision and purpose, she made her way to the fourth floor. It almost seemed premeditated with how everything was unfolding, as she knew exactly where to go. But as she saw the hammer, her widened eyes displayed an awe that was very hard to fake, especially with nobody to really impress. If she had planned something, this wasn’t initially part of the equation.

And it was surprisingly easy to acquire at 40% off. Perhaps too easy. Such thoughts were secondary to the true issue, however: Logistics. How could she carry such a thing?! Especially without magic and chair-bound?

The disabled girl shifted her head around and spotted something. 

[color=78CBE8]“Hey. You. Mercenary?”[/color] she waved a bag of cash containing 400 oubles, 100 above his price. [color=78CBE8]“I added extra for carrying services. Is this acceptable?”[/color]

Fritz Rudolf is happy to help. The grizzled landsknecht bows deeply, chivalrously. [b]"Your wish is my command."[/b] He hefts his mighty poleaxe and precedes her.

Khaliun grinned. [color=78CBE8]"Gallant. I like that."[/color] and so her group migrated toward Cutting Edge. Though she made sure to make the rounds, coming out with many tonics, including mana shots, to bolster her increasing hill of goods paid for by the State. The Landsknecht was on carrying duty, mostly. And finally, upon missing out on the Orphan, the true Lost Blade from Nikan. What she was to do with it was anyone’s guess. Two mighty weapons taken by this mysterious girl so far.

Few shops were spared from Khaliun’s eyes, although she did not acquire nearly as gluttonously as one would expect. But she did buy. Hunters’ garments, an intimidating pelt, Warhawks, and of course a second set of hands to help her with her goods with the hired Sugawara Yoshinori. With a strong security detail and shopping bags worthy of a spoilt gold digger, Khaliun seemed set to living the good life after this. Inevitably, one of the final items she’d obtain would be the map to supposed chaos marbles. A title that was very on the nose, but given what she had heard, maybe it was worth giving it a shot.

Then she took interest in The Groove.

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[hider=Groovy]It was not truly a place, at least not in the sense that most would consider ‘places’ in the world. It was another dimension, where strange beings gather as if it were a sort of ‘Café’ or Lounge. Hell, there was a literal Aberration Café, along with other peculiar machinations like The Exchange, or the Gates of Heaven & Hell. Or if one was feeling daring, a duplicate of a historical figure.

Khaliun hardly believed what she saw. Was this a dream? Her partners were equally taken aback.

But if this was some sort of fever dream, she may as well go with it.

[color=78CBE8]“A lot of money is asked for here.”[/color] she said as she rolled up to the counter, meeting a … Snake person? She blinked rapidly as the creature turned, unnerved and ready to sick her bodyguards on it. But it spoke! 

[color=aquamarine]"I will consult the others. Please, enjoy some tea as you wait."[/color] said the being in an eerily familiar voice. The visitor had no choice but to comply, bearing witness to the many visitors.

A froglike humanoid popped out of one portal and hurried into another in the background.

A couple of ogauraq were having a debate within the Aberration Café. Of course, since they were ogauraq, she could see the entire thread of it play out in the air above them.

A large demon in lavalike armour tossed back some kind of potion. A small, bookish-looking angel, curled up in an easy chair in the lounge, eyed him uneasily from behind a newspaper.

[color=78CBE8]"Hey. You."[/color] she looked over at the Landskenecht. [color=78CBE8]"Pinch me. I must be dreaming."[/color] then a comedic pause. [color=78CBE8]"Not on the legs."[/color]

The big man's eyes had been roving the room uneasily. [b]"I've... heard that The Groove is a special place,"[/b] he wondered aloud, [b]but, my gods, this is... was that a man-sized walking frog?"[/b] He and the ronin exchanged looks and then both did so with Khaliun. The pinch near her shoulder did precisely nothing except to cause momentary discomfort.

[color=78CBE8]"Ow."[/color] she rubbed her shoulder. [color=78CBE8]"I presume I don't pay you gentlemen enough to indulge in that box?"[/color]

The landsknecht looked at her. He shook his head. [b]"I apologize, milady, but I work. I don't gamble."[/b]

The ronin, however, narrowed his eyes shrewdly. [b]"I will take the risk, but I will require two things: a second chance and one quarter of any profits."[/b]

Khaliun looked at the Ronin, and then at the box. [color=78CBE8]"Deal."[/color] but before anyone could do anything, she raised her hand. [color=78CBE8]"I'd like to know if I'm richer than I really am, first."[/color]

Khaliun was forced to wait a few more minutes, but then the sirrahi was back. The two of them confer. [color=indigo]"Normally,"[/color] said the recent returnee, [color=indigo]"We would not divulge such sensitive information."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"We would not,"[/color] confirmed his female partner. [color=aquamarine]"It would risk disrupting the timestream."[/color]

[color=indigo]"It would risk that."[/color] He shook his head. [color=indigo]"And that's a big risk."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"A very big one."[/color] The woman bobbed up and down, nodding in that sirrahi way. In the background, dozens of frog people were now rushing in and out of various portals, armed with strange weapons. One had a crown on and seemed to be rallying the others as they plunged, once more, into the fray. [color=aquamarine]"It might make certain parties -"[/color]

Her partner shot her a [i]look[/i]. [color=indigo]"certain parties very angry,"[/color] he confirmed, and they said no more.

The woman shook her head sadly. [color=aquamarine]"I am very sorry but, based on my husband's research, I must consider your offer an investment unlikely to mature."[/color]

He nodded sadly. [color=indigo]"Very sorry,"[/color] he confirmed. [color=indigo]"It's nothing personal. Just business."[/color]

There was a third sirrahi, then, poking out from one of the portals. He looked young. [color=SteelBlue]"Just business,"[/color] he added, [color=SteelBlue]"But it's not set in stone."[/color]

[color=indigo]"No, it isn't,"[/color] assured the man who had conducted the 'research'. [color=indigo]"The future is always in flux."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"Always,"[/color] added his wife. [color=aquamarine]"We're happy to do business with you at a lower pricepoint and, if things [i]do[/i] work out against probability -"[/color]

[color=SlateBlue]"As they sometimes do,"[/color] said the teenage boy, busy moving some boxes now. 

[color=salmon]"We'd be happy to offer the full range of our services!"[/color] There was a girl the same age as the boy, returning from calming some of the frog people down.

[color=indigo]"Now,"[/color] said the 'researcher', crossing his arms and settling them on the countertop, [color=indigo]"how may we serve you?"[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"Yes, how?"[/color]

[color=salmon]"How?"[/color]

[color=SlateBlue]"May we serve you?"[/color]

Khaliun blinked as her eyes met a screen for the first time. Her eyes burned at the sight - it was so unnatural! But indeed, there were the cold, hard numbers that, surprisingly, she understood. She was, after all, quite educated.

She gently rested her hands over her thighs as she gathered her thoughts. Calm. No rise in hypertension. [color=78CBE8]“Then let's hedge this risk. That is why I am in this gathering of commerces.”[/color] she shrewdly looked to the snake-people. [color=78CBE8]“Which of your products would improve ...”[/color] she waved her hand and wiggled her fingers onto the screen she had given back. [color=78CBE8]“That thing. The success rate-thing. You'd be compensated for the risks.”[/color]

The couple glanced at each other and smiled big snakey smiles. [color=indigo]"You're our kinda scum,"[/color] said the husband. [color=aquamarine]"Just our kind,"[/color] his wife agreed, [color=aquamarine]"fearless and inventive."[/color]

[color=SteelBlue]"One of your gambles won't pay out in the long term,"[/color] said the son, rearranging some of the aberration control cubes and picking up a predator aberration leash that had fallen. In the background, a frog person stumbled out from a portal, bruised and bloodied, and sat on the floor, chest heaving. It croaked something that the two humans couldn't understand. Crossly, the couple's daughter pointed at a sign in a strange script and croaked back at it. It slapped its forehead and made gestures of apology while 'speaking', picking itself back up. [color=salmon]"Yes, not in the short term either,"[/color] that daughter confirmed, switching her attention over. [color=salmon]"So long as you go through with the other one. That one could bear... lucrative results."[/color]

[color=indigo]"Yes, lucrative,"[/color] her father agreed, [color=indigo]"But still inherently risky."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"Yes, inherently."[/color] It was the mother. [color=aquamarine]"Your main benefactor is... not necessarily someone who has worked well with us before."[/color]

[color=salmon]"You should, of course, invest in yourself first."[/color] It was the daughter. She had an aberration in a box. That was... not supposed to be possible, though there had been rumours within her covert of such things. [color=SteelBlue]"You should invest in your equipment."[/color] He glanced pointedly at the exchange. [color=yellow]"And in your allies,"[/color] said a second son, head popping out of a portal. Above it hung a sign labeled 'Temporal Duplicates'. [color=DeepPink]"Yes, allies,"[/color] agreed a second daughter. [color=DeepPink]"Or yourself."[/color] She furrowed her brow thinking, and all five of her family members seemed to catch on within a second or two of each other. In the background, a mighty Pentangel emerged from one of the portals, other beings prostrating themselves before it. Khaliun's landsknecht made the Sign of the Pentad in reverence, but then the otherworldly apparition was gone through another. [color=indigo]"Yes. So long as you can pinpoint a location where you would've been -"[/color]

[color=yellow]"Yes, so long as you can pinpoint it, then we can yank out another copy of you, I reckon."[/color] It was the second son, still half-immersed in a portal.

[color=aquamarine]"I reckon,"[/color] agreed his mother. [color=aquamarine]"It's unorthodox, but it works."[/color]

A giant pig-man had walked out of a portal, meanwhile, and was standing in front of the black box of nothing known as The Exchange, glancing around momentarily. The first son slithered over to assist him and they communicated in a grunting language. Finally, a sack of gold was proffered, the son accepted it and, with a grunted wish of good fortune, the pig-man stuck his hand inside. Even the ronin's eyes widened at what happened, as he was sucked into the small space, squealing, by some irresistible force and... disappeared.
Then came a good many more, under the command of some sort of medieval pig-lady. She squealed and snorted orders at the peasants, her assistants threatening some sort of magical punishment should they fall out of line. Two of the sirrahi rolled their eyes. Another groaned. [color=SteelBlue]"Why do we do business with them again?"[/color] the first son muttered, echoed by one of his sisters. [color=indigo]"We do not judge others by our moral standards, no matter how difficult it is,"[/color] his father reminded him, and the youth sighed. Multiple sacks of gold and gemstones were paid and then the procession began.

The first whooped in joy and glee as she came up with a book of some sort, but was quickly berated. [color=HotPink]"Wrong kinda book,"[/color] the second sister explained to Khaliun.

The second marched up somewhat hopefully, seeing what her peer had come away with, but little grunts of - was it prayer? Was it self-talk? Was it confidence? - quickly gave way to a rather loud shriek that was only muted by the presence of an automatic sonic bubble. She staggered away with a cauterized stump where her hand had been and some of the others recoiled and tried to scatter until herded back into order at swordpoint.

The next screamed as well, coming away with a cup of steaming tea in a shaking, scalded hand. This was handed to the wealthy lady, who handed it to one of her servants for safekeeping. The third, fourth, and fifth came away with demons and, it looked like some sort of promotion. The guards certainly seemed to show them more respect. The sixth's eyes glowed at the sight of a sack of gold. It was immediately cut open, a small portion given to him, and the rest poured into a chest held by the lady's servants. The next came away with - was it literally [i]nothing?[/i] - and the penultimate one lost a hand and tried to run. One of the guards made to kill him before being frozen, mid-action, by one of the sirrahi and harshly reminded of some policy or other. The lady grunted a sour apology, and the newly one-handed pig-man was shackled and shoved roughly towards the portal under guard. The final one squealed and thrashed and dropped the hot tea and was kicked and shouted at for it before the whole uncivilized lot disappeared through a portal. [color=aquamarine]"As pleasant as always,"[/color] sighed the wife. Her first daughter rolled her eyes. [color=salmon]"I don't see why we should keep letting them behave like that."[/color]

[color=indigo]"As long as they behave in good faith towards us, we stay out of their politics,"[/color] her father reminded her. [color=aquamarine]"Yes, out of their politics,"[/color] her mother confirmed. [color=SteelBlue]"Now,"[/color] decided the first son, [color=SteelBlue]"Speaking of such, what say you to that?"[/color]

[color=indigo]"Yes, about that."[/color] It was the father again. [color=indigo]"We're prepared to make you an offer, though the risk is..."[/color]

[color=HotPink]"Substantial,"[/color] said the second sister.

[color=yellow]"A Second Fate reach into the Exchange and a self-copy."[/color]

[color=Salmon]"We'd ask for 200%"[/color] concluded the first sister.

[color=SteelBlue]"Yes, two hundred."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"The overall cost would be... ₽16,000"[/color]

[color=78CBE8]“Myself?”[/color] Khaliun's eyes widened, her resting bitch-face finally faltering after so long. She looked to her hired hands, who both seemed to be taken by the grisly scene with the pig people. She too watched. What a sight. Unholy creatures resembling the monsters of tales, except they were as keen on fattening themselves up as regular people and using the lesser monsters to get their way. For a moment she had forgotten the whole cloning idea and looked to her Ronin associate. [color=78CBE8]“Do you still wish to proceed?”[/color]

The ronin was resolute. [b]"I do not know fear. If I meet two fates and both are grisly, then it was always to be."[/b]

Then came the proposition. [color=78CBE8]“... What's the initial price for a double? And what does this entail for ME?”[/color] then returned the usual, extremely pleasant look of her's. [color=78CBE8]“Must I assume some sordid fate should I default?”[/color] needless to say, she looked very hesitant. [color=78CBE8]“What's the Endymion?”[/color] her gaze had drifted and she had noticed that obscene price among the more 'reasonable' ones.

It was the father, once again, who responded to her query, however. [color=indigo]"The policy should you default is that you serve as a mercenary until you have worked off your debt or someones else has paid it on your behalf. You will appear in one of the other shops in... where was it again?"[/color]

[color=HotPink]"The Bunker, mom."[/color]

[color=SteelBlue]"Your profits will become [i]our[/i] profits,"[/color] the first brother concluded.

[color=aquamarine]"Though you shall be provided with room and board,"[/color] the mother assured her. 

[color=salmon]"You try to escape the debt or take violent action..."[/color] added the first sister fearfully, [color=yellow]"The penalty is erasure, absolute and irreversible,"[/color] the second brother confirmed. 

[color=aquamarine]"As for the Endymion?"[/color] She mother rested her crossed arms on the tabletop. [color=aquamarine]"It is the very beating heart of the world,"[/color]

[color=salmon]"The heart."[/color]

[color=indigo]"The sacred heart."[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"and one requires expressed permission to stand in its presence,"[/color] she concluded.

[color=78CBE8]“Very well.”[/color] Khaliun said once her question was answered. The price for defaulted was the only thing she knew how to do very well. How convenient. [color=78CBE8]“I'll take the deal, then. Second fate and ...”[/color] she waved her hand in the general direction of the Temporal Duplicates sign. [color=78CBE8]“That. 200% interest.”[/color] she sagged into her chair, wondering if she hadn't lost it. This was [b]crazy.[/b]

[color=78CBE8]“And that permission is a million oubles? The heart of the world is as expensive as a medium Vossoriyan chateau.”[/color] she arched a brow.

[color=indigo]"That is the price [i]with[/i] an invitation, to offset the costs of us maintaining a portal there."[/color]

[color=salmon]"Yes, the costs. It is no mean feat."[/color]

Now, the Exchange. It was time to resolve the first portion of Khaliun’s contract. 

The first that came from the box was ... Nothing! A collective sigh of relief occurred.

Then, the Second Fate. A true nail biter. Even the stoic Khaliun had a sweat drop there. What came out was four containers of manas ready for imbuement. Success!

[color=78CBE8]“As promised.”[/color] once the four were brought to her, one was given to the renegade Samurai. [color=78CBE8]“I'll provide extra if one of you can find me a way to get these to be useful FAST.”[/color] she waved the potential prize, one they could probably steal all things considered, if they did not care about their reputation.

But before any sort of crafting could be done, she looked to the serpentine family once more. [color=78CBE8]“We've still got one more thing, don't we?”[/color]

A collective nod came from the serpentine family and they scurried about to prepare for the custom job. During the wait, the Landsknetch couldn’t help but inquire. [b]"I am not one to often question a job. Especially with this sort of money."[/b] he began as he eyed the manas that were given to his Nikanese counterpart. [b]"But what exactly do you intend to do with all of this? This is … Far beyond just protecting from thugs and taking down Skuggvars."[/b] he manifested his anxieties, to which Khaliun rested her arms over the armrests of her walking chair. She sighed.

[color=78CBE8]“I’ve got a lot of rats to crush. Filthy rats just waiting for the chance to eat, now that their master has gone rabid.”[/color] she said, her tone now charged with a foreboding rasp. [b]"They must be big rats."[/b] chuckled the mercenary as he peered at the massive hammer he was made to carry, albeit the answer did little to alleviate his worries. [color=78CBE8]“The biggest.”[/color][/hider][/color]