[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/40b268e9-9477-4d81-97d6-81ce4b87c2d3.png[/img] [color=tomato]"Been a bit since we had a Mika Monday.”[/color] [color=888888]— Mika Fang[/color][/center] [hider=Mika Stat Block] [center] 16 | Female | Gemini | Mad World (lesser) Nails | Hands | Arcane | Cat Scratch Fever Eye of the Tiger | Survivor Spirit Animals | Nature | ANIMAL [Poison, Transform], MAD WORLD DAMAGE: C | SPEED: B | SENTINEL: E | 500 PHYSICAL: D | ARCANE: B | CHAOS: C | 500 [/center] [/hider] Not long after the catchup meeting started did the rest of the espers show up. After Ashley gave her excuse for being late, Mika groaned. [color=tomato]"That’s such a weird thing to say.”[/color] Fritzi looked between Ashley and Marrie. [color=bd71e8]"It’s fine.”[/color] The eccentric doctor smiled. [color=bd71e8]"The two of you pulled a literal all nighter to get things going. You even managed to enlist the help of additional freelancers to get the building bugged. I’m impressed. And I think all the intelligence you collected is going to be useful here. It doesn’t sound like we have much to worry about.”[/color] Perhaps the reason why it was “Marrie’s data” was because she was the one passing out the maps and notifying everyone of possible vulnerabilities in her software. [color=bd71e8]"Actually, I wasn’t sure if you were going to handle the camera feeds or not. You seem to get along with Orion, so why don’t you follow her to the dragon? There’s plenty of warm bodies down here.”[/color] [color=MediumAquamarine]”Some of us even have cold bodies!”[/color] The resident zombie started her chainsaw. Luna pursed her lips. [color=75c159]”Just remember to wear your helmet. It might save you from splitting your head in half.”[/color] [color=MediumAquamarine]”Oooooh! Good idea!”[/color] Meanwhile, Billy sat back down in his hotrod with Ciri raring to go. [color=lightgray]"Ciri? If ya hadn’t asked me that question, I’d already be takin’ this pig downtown.”[/color] The engine rumbled to life. [color=lightgray]"But if ya hurry to your bike, we can take the weretiger’s to brown town!”[/color] As if sensing Ciri’s desire to fight, the shadow turned into a horse beneath her again. While the motorcycles revved, it dragged its hoof across the pavement. The motorcycles were revving up while the other espers prepared to board Boteg. As pissed off as the dragon had been on that day, he looked timid and shy. The tip of his tail wagged like a dog that really didn’t want their master to see what they destroyed in the other room. Raven, Binky, and the Miko twins were already on board. Ashley and Marrie were preparing to get on, with Mika trailing behind them. However, Mika stopped and raised her arm, blocking Amanda’s advance. [color=tomato]"I don’t think you’re coming with us.”[/color] The girl wasn’t that much younger than Mika, but looked just as dour. A single tear formed in the corner of her eye. [b]”I know he’s up there. I won’t get to face him.”[/b] [color=tomato]"Who?”[/color] [b]”Timekeeper.”[/b] She sniffed. [b]”H-he hurt me. I want to hurt him back.”[/b] The young monster’s voice cracked. [color=tomato]"Huh.”[/color] Mika had never really thought too hard about the monster family unit. Most were just mindless creatures, and the intelligent ones tended to work in deceit. She knew who Amanda was, but this was the first time she had been in her presence. [color=tomato]"He hurt me too.”[/color] [b]”Did he really hurt you?”[/b] Mika looked over her shoulder. The Mavericks were still making a show of revving their engines, and the dragon wasn’t quite saddled up yet. [color=tomato]"He killed my mom.”[/color] She looked at Amanda. [color=tomato]"He ruins everything he touches, so I have to kill him before he can hurt anyone else.”[/color] [b]”He’ll hurt you again.”[/b] [color=tomato]"It’s okay.”[/color] Mika looked at her arms. [color=tomato]"My mom died on her fourth operation in this place. This is also my fourth operation. I know she’s better than me, so this is where my life will end. That’s why I have to take him down with me.”[/color] [b]”...What?”[/b] [color=tomato]"Don’t worry, I’ve got this. This is your first operation, right? You can survive this.”[/color] Mika shooed Amanda away before turning around to board the dragon. As for Fritzi, what was she going to do? It looked like she was going to stay behind and help the Mavericks out. [hr] Two guards in front of the Golden Trove watched the street. They were both weretigers, but were keeping a low profile by remaining in their human forms. There wasn’t a lot of traffic on the road today, and there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic either. [b]”Man this shit is boring.”[/b] One said. [b]”It’s too bad something isn’t happening. We’re supposed to get attacked right?”[/b] [b]”At some point.”[/b] [b]”I hope they bring a lot of espers. Last I heard Gemini wasn’t doing too good. There aren’t any noteworthy freelancer’s left, and Maverick Alternative is a non-entity.”[/b] [b]”I wouldn’t expect much from the attack. Gemini’s got that secret agent thing going, and there’s no way the team up was anything more than a rumor. They fuckin’ [i]hate[/i] each other.”[/b] [b]”You’re probably right. But part of me really wants that distant motorcycle rally to be them coming here right now.”[/b] [b]”...”[/b] [b]”...”[/b] [b]”It’s getting louder, isn’t it?”[/b] [b]”It is.”[/b] As the Mavericks pulled up to the Golden Trove, several more guards stepped out of the building. The five of them were struggling to draw their weapons as the opposition rolled on in. [hr] The camera feeds were showing a lot of action. Tony, Black Sabbath, Viper, and a slew of others could be seen rushing down the halls of the Golden Trove. There wasn’t much surveillance on the top floor of the hotel, but it seemed like it was as empty as it was going to be. Boteg touched down on the roof. It was practically begging to be landed on. It was a smooth concrete surface without much to look at. The only thing up here were two giant AC units and the roof access. It seemed they had a moment to strategize before going deeper. [color=baddab]”What’s behind the door, Cerberus?”[/color] Binky dismounted the dragon. Mika shook her head. [color=tomato]"I’ve never been to the Golden Trove. But I can confirm that Timekeeper is waiting for us.”[/color] [hr] Finn and Klava stood in what appeared to be a metal hanger. They were both seated at a small table with the [i]fully upgraded[/i] mecha standing before them. Klava was mostly ignoring it as she finished her meal. [color=6ecff6][b]“Mmmm, this food really slaps. It's just a shame the ambiance sucks.”[/b][/color] Klava pushed her plate aside before dabbing the corners of her mouth with a napkin. [color=6ecff6][b]“Whatcha thinking about? You've been kind of quiet.”[/b][/color] [color=7F2A3C]"Oh! Uhm,"[/color] Finn snapped out of his thoughts, glancing back up at Klava. [color=7F2A3C]"It's nothing, just...trying to make sense of everything that's led up to this, I guess."[/color] He shrugged. His eyes then drew towards his mecha. So far, his only magnum opus. It was almost a shame it might get busted up so soon. [color=7F2A3C]"...You think things are just going to keep getting worse, regardless what's going to happen?"[/color] Finn softly asked her. Klava shrugged her shoulders. [color=6ecff6][b]“Dunno. I don't think about the future too much. Why, is there something in particular that you're worried about?”[/b][/color] [color=7F2A3C]"Guess I'm still scared that I'll still get the short end of the stick."[/color] The boy admitted. [color=7F2A3C]"That nothing will ever really change about me, no matter what I do."[/color] As Finn finished speaking, a butler came to clear his place. [color=0099a6]"Do you believe that you are what needs to change, Fable?"[/color] Sofron continued to make eye contact with the boy as he collected Klava's dishes. [color=0099a6]"Are you familiar with the story of Pinocchio? He wanted to become a real boy, and so he did through his actions. He provided for his father and worked hard, but I daresay he was even more a puppet than a boy at that point."[/color] Finn's brows rose when Sofron put in his two cents into the conversation. With an analogy to...Pinocchio? [color=7F2A3C]"I...never read the [i]original[/i] story, but wasn't the whole point of it to be an honest and good person, and all that?"[/color] He had to ask. Yeah, no one really said Finn [i]was[/i] one in the first place, but for some god-forsaken reason he kept trying to be like an idiot. [color=7F2A3C]"I don't even bear much love to my own father."[/color] [color=0099a6]"Good, because the point of Pinocchio was, actually, [i]not[/i] to be a good boy. The point was that Italy was starting to industrialize, and they needed obedient little puppets to work mindlessly for their bosses. It was a propaganda piece to help mold children into their ideal workforce. Virtues such as being good, hard working, or revering a parental figure are all designed to ensnare and use you."[/color] Finn's brows rose again. Huh. He genuinely didn't know that. Neat. Klava leaned into her palm. [color=6ecff6][b]“I think that's old guy speech for 'don't be a slave to what other people want.' Instead do what you want, because if you don't, you'll just be a puppet.”[/b][/color] [s]Wasn't he already a puppet?[/s] Finn hummed in thought. [color=7F2A3C]"I see."[/color] He looked between Klava and Sofron, then nodded. [color=7F2A3C]"Right, yeah, you make a good point. Sorry for being so tense."[/color] [color=6ecff6][b]“It's understandable, you're fighting old friends.”[/b][/color] Klava stood up. [color=6ecff6][b]“But we chose this path, so we might as well walk it.”[/b][/color] Sofron's eyes moved up to the machine. [color=0099a6]"I've never seen anything quite like it. Magi have made similar contraptions, but a machine that's designed to enhance an esper's abilities? That's not something these old eyes have ever seen."[/color] He placed a hand on Finn's shoulder. [color=0099a6]"You are quite the inventor, Fable. You should have nothing to worry about."[/color] The boy's expression seemed to lighten up at the unexpected praise. When was the last time someone did that for him? Honestly? [color=7F2A3C]"Th-Thank you sir."[/color] He mumbled in return, a small smile forming on his face. [color=7F2A3C]"It just...comes naturally, I-I suppose."[/color] Though before the conversation continued, two figures had appeared from a shadow in the corner, after a few hours of doing some recon. Penumbra; Elise stepped out, Ramona silently following behind. [color=goldenrod]"Gems and Mavericks are gathering, they're gonna be hitting the Trove soon. Everyone know the plan?"[/color] She relayed, stopping next to Klava. [color=6ecff6][b]"No, but I'm pretty good at improvising."[/b][/color] Sofron mouthed "smart ass" before pinching the bridge of his nose. [color=0099a6]"Of course."[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/5cdd0c35-6c1b-4e5d-8fe9-970574e18f41.png[/img] [color=77BB99]"If a devil visits you in your cell, and you’re the only one who sees them, are they really there?”[/color] [color=888888]— Bookman[/color][/center] The demon tipped his head. [color=77BB99]"Eavesdropping? A strange accusation from someone trying to gain access to government documents.”[/color] He lowered the dark tome, and a pedestal appeared beneath it. [color=77BB99]"But you're not wholly incorrect. Gemini has removed most of our spies from their organisation. We only knew you had been captured. As for how we know so much about you, well, the Hand has taken particular interest in your quest.”[/color] Bookman groaned when he realised he was giving away free information. It wasn’t a mistake he was going to make again. [color=77BB99]"Let us not dally further. I will be presenting you with contracts, telling you what they expect of you, and what you will get for signing them. You will be rewarded upon signing, but you will be expected to fulfill the contracts to the best of your ability. Should you break a contract, all of your magic will be taken away. Some contracts have a duration, others will last the rest of your life, so consider that when you go to sign them. Before we begin, one of these contracts [i]will[/i] deal with getting you out. But let’s save that one for last. I will have a little bonus for you should you sign all the contracts. There aren’t many to go over, but it’s not like you’re headed anywhere, right?”[/color] With a wave of his hand, a fancy wooden table rose out of the floor. It was close enough to the bed that she could use it as a seat if she so chose. [color=77BB99]"I have some sensitive information regarding the Hand’s interest in you, as well as a host of other topics ranging from Oros to the very fabric of our reality.”[/color] As he spoke, a fresh page on the tome began to write out the details of the contract. A quill with a long black feather kept up with the demon’s voice. [color=77BB99]"I would share all of it with you, but we must know that you are serious about your quest. Do you really wish to rid the esper world of all its factions? If so, you will be given a series of missions to weaken the factions in Pax Septimus. Three in total. Gemini, Maverick Alternative, and Oros will all be involved in one of these missions. They are the three most powerful factions in Pax Septimus, and we are fully expecting you to assist with fighting the Hand once you leave here. So there will be no required mission against them. These missions will be explained at a later time, and you will be given ample resources to complete them. Refusing to perform them will be seen as breaking the contract. We understand that you have formed connections with certain espers, and you will not be required to harm them should you choose not to.”[/color] The demon held out his hand. [color=77BB99]"You may shake my hand if you find these terms acceptable.”[/color]