Location: East Empire

Time: Evening

The blind thief Neo had handed out some discrete messages in shadier areas of the East Empire to try to see if he could meet up with other like minded people who didn’t mind snatching Empire goods which didn’t belong to them potentially for profit or for use.

While he felt pretty confident in his abilities plus the support of Ool, he knew that bringing in others could help improve the yield and also ensure the success of the extraction. This was particularly true when considering there was the chance of encountering security forces of some kind.

The target building was a East Empire officinae building.

It was pretty sizable production complex building constructed out of empire style stone and concrete. However one noticeable fact just from the outside was that it appeared to be out of operation and in astate of disarray. It had been pretty severely damaged during the most recent Fae See- East Empire conflict. As a result the roof of the building had a very sizable hole in it and stone rubble littered the surrounding hills. One of the most northern walls had a decent sized hole in it quite a distance up.

. Thankfully the site of the building was no longer a hot zone for conflict. But the The gradual hills which the building sat on were scorched in places and some of the surrounding nearby terrain including dirt, rocks, trees and bushes, looked torn up
It was part of the reason that Neo was waiting with Ool near a large sizable tree which stuck out among the ravaged landscape.

This made the place where Neo was waiting with Ool a bit more obvious, with the building in the far distance. There was a fairly sizable stone stele which had been damaged. It had an East Empire pro government propaganda motto carved into it in [Terran] it’s damage likely another result of the bombarding. Just beside the steele was a simple dirt path which lead up the hilly area toward the building.

Neo leaned against the steele , tapping his foot every now and again while Ool, perched on his shoulder passively. Neo was wearing his typical attire for this sort of operation, a cowl, hood martial clothing combo with his eye patch covering him, a bo staff on his back, and other equipment on his person.

Despite his optimism he knew that there was a small chance that someone could try to rat his scheme out, or, the place could be more picked over then he would have liked already...

The hills around the ruined officinae weren't completely deserted. Not yet, anyway. War left behind strange pockets of life: people picking at the edges of devastation, trying to squeeze something useful out of what remained. A lone vendor had set up along the lower path, her cart modest but intact, a small pile of apples arranged with more care than the surroundings deserved.

Aren spotted her on the way in. And, more importantly, she spotted him.

That was all it took.

"Well, those might be the bravest apples I've ever seen," Aren said as he approached, his tone light with an easy admiration. "Setting up shop this close to a place like that?" He glanced up toward the broken structure in the distance, then back to her with a crooked smile. "Either they're worth their weight in gold, or you've got nerves I should be jealous of."

The vendor huffed a small laugh despite herself, already halfway disarmed.

"They're fresh," she replied. "Came in this morning."

"Fresh?" Aren echoed, leaning in just slightly as if inspecting them more closely. "Now that's impressive. Thought everything around here tasted like ash and bad decisions."

Another smile. A little wider this time. He picked one up, turning it in his hand, testing the weight as he squeezed it lightly.

"I'll take one," he said, already reaching for a coin.

The exchange was simple, clean, and unremarkable.

Which was exactly why she didn't notice the moment his other hand brushed just a little too close, light, and gone before it meant anything.

Aren bit into the apple as he stepped away, expression brightening just a touch.

"Alright," he admitted over his shoulder, "you win. Definitely worth it."

By the time she thought to check anything, he was already further up the path, her coin purse nestled snugly in his pocket.

---

The shift in atmosphere came gradually as he approached the meeting point. Less life, more silence, more weight in the air. Aren's pace slowed as his eyes settled on the figure near the stele, still and waiting, as well as the bird.

Right, he thought. Not just a casual meetup, then.

He took another bite of the apple as he closed the distance, boots crunching just enough to announce himself. No point sneaking up on someone who was expecting trouble.

"Hope I'm not late," he called, voice easy, almost conversational. "Got a little distracted on the way. Turns out optimism and fresh produce still exist out here."

He stopped a few paces off, relaxed, one hand loosely at his side, the other holding what remained of the apple.

"Name's Aren."

He paused briefly as he looked around the empty rooftop.

"So," he added, glancing past Neo toward the ruined building in the distance, "is it just us, or are we still waiting on someone?"

❀

"Why you askin'? Hoping that you don't have to split any of the profit, mate?"

A voice responded.

Another approached the scene with a lax to his steps and a nonchalance plastered to his expression, easily mistaken for boredom with a slight tense at his brows constantly.

A man, raven-black hair, a sharp gaze within his grey eyes, a long buttoned up coat masking his lower facial features from its high collar, with a particularly short stature, made his presence known as he looked to the other two with a raise to his brow.

"I'm guessing you're the one requesting this job?" The man said, pointed towards the masked individual based on the other person's question.

Their tone was uniquely laced with wit but soft-spoken without any real bite.

He would begin, "Here I was hoping you lot would look more like thugs so that I didn't feel so conscientiously about stealing something from others. But, oh well, I guess I can forego not being like the usual stereotypes."

He rolled his eyes, finding his own sarcastic excuse ironic as he still accepted the request despite his "conscientious" opinions. A job he accepted based on the suggestion of another.

"Sup." The man nodded to the other two with crossed arms. "Miyu. Just Miyu." A simple greeting.

His phrasing and particular verbal tones so uniquely casual - noticeable so compared to other folks and residents within the area. Quite specifically modern to those that were similar in disposition.

"So..." Miyu turned his attention towards the hooded and masked individual, an owl perched atop their shoulder that consistently tilted it head at its surroundings and changes.

"You're the man leading this, right?" He posed his question, eyeing both individuals and inspecting them thoroughly. But nothing of which that could be deemed hostile or ill-intended.

❀

A young woman with tan sun kissed skin stalked across the rolling scorched hills. Shoulder length brown hair falling in wavy cascades around her face. A few braided seashells dangling near her temple and ears, clinking with each step. She wore a white blouse, with tan slacks. Black boots that met her calves. And a jacket and captains hat that seemed just a touch too large. She approached the gathering under the tree with a smirk. Lifting a canteen from her hip, she unscrewed it and studied each of them as thew talked amongst themselves. Her golden eyes scanning them.

When her eyes fell on Aren, she grinned. Moving to stand next to the man and clap a hand on his back with a grin.

"Oi! Din'think ah'd be gettin' tae work witcyeh again sah soon! 'Ere 'ave ah swig! Fer good luck!" She chuckled, shoving her flask into Arens face. She looked across to the others as she tried to force the young man to drink.

"Oi! Sa' whats th'idea then? We're tryin'tae bust in there? Er sneak?" Her eyes fell onto Neo, having pegged his quiet countenance as the planner and instigator of this plan.

A lone figure strolled across the hill. Her entire body from the neck down was covered in a black rag that was barely be able to be called clothing while the face was hidden behind a white mask, which create a striking contrast with the black rag and the dull ashen environment around her. Her two normal eyes stared forward, focusing on what's ahead, but the third eye in the middle was constantly on all direction, ever vigilant to any chance of ambush. Something taller than Marrion herself was tied on her back and wrapped in bandage, swaying with each step she took.

There's already a few people at the meeting spot. All humans, as expected of East Empire people.

"Greetings, fellow Prime." Marrion tried to be polite by mimicking what human do when meeting other human. Her voice sounded like there's three people talking at once from behind the mask.

Neo was pleased to see that some people were actually showing up. Even if he and Ool could have tried running the extraction alone, in numbers it should be safer.

He turned and looked to Aren. “Hmmm, no I’d say that you’re right on time Aren, the night is young.”
He said with a grin, his voice suggesting it was of that of a young adult.

“I don’t think it’s just us, I have a good feeling about it.” He responded.

And it seemed that hunch was proven to be accurate. Neo then looked to Miyu giving him
A nod.

“You could say we are the ones, and there should be plenty to go around if I understand what’s being held here. Of course I had Ool take a look ahead of time to make sure..and he said that there was plenty to go around with that said..we should be careful how much we take..we don’t want to be weighed down too much on the way out.”

The blind man then turned his head over to the woman who had appeared,

“it would be preferable if we sneak in, I’d rather not have to spill any blood if it can be avoided personally..but I understand not everyone feels that way, and sometimes people get stuck in..difficult situations..I’ve worked with others who’ve done less then savory things in my opinion but anyway I don’t mean to get so morbid, it should be a non issue if we can scale the building and breach where the vulnerability has been located without being noticed..”

Neo then pointed toward the hole in the building that was a good distance up.

“Ideally we’ll scale the wall up there head in, but we may need a distraction of sorts to keep any would be wandering security away from that area, I have some ideas about how to achieve that distraction..”

With that Neo took out what looked like a small round orb of sorts from his sash, some sort of smoke bomb, holding it between his fingers, whether those around him recognized what it was

“I’ll mainly need swift cooperation and assume that most of you are capable of climbing a rope up a wall, but if any of you can’t, now is a good time to let me know.” Neo continued matter of fact.

His expression shifted a bit..when he heard the discordant type of voice of Marrion who approached. It was a..curious one. “I take it that you’re here to join in as well, very well then, I’m assuming you heard the gist of what I was saying..”

“After breaching we will be in a hallway which we will need to take a few consecutive turns..which I have memorized from what I was told of the buildings interior...left..left right..left..then down a lot of stairs, Perhaps five flights..and then at that point we run the highest risk of encountering some..unwanted company..but by then we’ll be past manufacturing and near the storage areas where we’ll find some nice valuables making everything worthwhile, and at that point I think we’ll be on our ways very quickly, but for anyone who wants to share a drink with me, you’re invited to join me and Ool at the Broken Cask.”

Neo spoke with some confidence in his voice now a bit of an almost smirk forming on his face.

"No killing, noted." Marrion nodded at the extra condition. Though if someone dies, whether it was a guard or one of the fellow thieves, she fully intent to chop their head off for later snack.

Marrion tilted her head as she watched the man pointed at the hole a good distance away. He was clearly blindfolded, so he was using another means to sense the surrounding. Echolocation? Shared sense? Something else? She intents to figure out what would that be.

"Using that device would immediately alert the guards that someone is sneaking in." Marrion pointed at the orb on Neo's hand. She had been doing a lot of tinkering for the past few weeks, digging though the broken siege machines the Empire left behind within Hive territory and upgrading her puppets with some extra techs. She had seen those orbs a few times and can guess its function.

"We can fly around and provide better alternatives for distraction."

✿︎

"Sounds reasonable enough." Miyu relaxed as he nodded at the given explanation. The man with the mask confirming himself as the planner of this particular mission.

"Though, I think getting valuables shouldn't be a problem. I do have an [Inventory] skill equipped on my person." Miyu informed, showing the little dimensional rift in the space beside him as he pushed his hand through as it disappeared inside - taking his hand out in turn after.

At the approach of two other individuals, Miyu simply nodded in greeting their way. More so towards the woman with the thicker accent compared to the other.

"Uhh... right... hello..." Miyu looked to the individual covered in a long black rag. An appearance Miyu couldn't make but the distortion in their voice didn't alleviate Miyu's initial reluctance and caution.

"What other alternatives are there for distraction, exactly?" Miyu asked, not in a way that was neither aggressive nor assertive - simply curious as the one in the rags was the one to bring it up. "As much as I'd like to get out of this unscathed, do we even have other options? Not to mention, I do hate to burst your bubble but... fly?"

Miyu gestured to his back and arms.

"I don't have the means to do so, unless I grow wings. Do you, uhh...?" Miyu raised a brow. He didn't know how to refer to this person in particular. "Don't think I quite caught your name actually."

✿︎

The first voice cut through the night's silence, shifting Aren's attention immediately. The man who spoke carried himself as if he were used to being underestimated and let it work in his favor. Short stature, controlled posture, eyes that did more calculating than relaxing. The kind of presence that didn't demand attention, but expected it anyway.

Aren let a small breath out through his nose. Profit-minded. Defensive framing. Already thinking about division before acquisition.

That told him everything he needed for now.

"Valid question," he replied easily, keeping his tone light enough not to escalate anything. "If I were here to argue about profit splits, I'd have brought a ledger instead of an apple." He paused briefly before shrugging. "Relax. I'm not in the habit of splitting things that don't exist yet."

His gaze lingered on the man a moment longer, measuring the edges of him, before he added his own name without ceremony:

"Aren."

He took another bite of his apple as he continued sizing up the man, when suddenly—

A weight hit his back.

Familiar. Heavy. Unapologetic.

Aren didn't flinch, instead chuckling lightly as Izzy's presence announced itself in the loudest possible way a single person could manage.

Of course she was here.

He took the flask without protest, turning it once in his hand before taking a swig. "You know, there are better greetings than violence," he said, flashing her his most charming smile as he handed it back. "Though I guess old habits die hard." His eyes flicked over her briefly, confirming she was intact. "You look great. I don't think I've ever seen a finer lady that just broke out of prison," he added with a wink.

He paused briefly, then, almost as an afterthought: "Be careful with that stuff. If you pass out somewhere, I don't mind carrying you out, but it'll cost you." A faint, mischievous grin followed.

Aren listened to Neo's explanation without interrupting. When the briefing ended, he gave a small nod. "Alright," he said. "So, don't get seen, don't get caught, don't get weighed down, and don't overcomplicate it unless it forces you to." His eyes drifted to the building. "Entry point is solid. Getting in is the easy part. Getting out?" He glanced at the rest of the group. "That's usually the hard part."

There was a second, where Izzy froze. She'd almost forgotten why she'd taken a liking to the boy in the first place. She let out a loud chuckle, wrapping her arm around the mans shoulder in a light jostling squeeze, before she pat him once more a bit roughly and released him.

"Aye, aye. Keep et comin' boyo. Ye' know ah love tae hear et."

Her lips curled in an almost feline grin before her golden eyes slid toward the rest of the gathered crew, taking them in one by one with a lazy sort of interest.

They lingered a second longer on the strange, three-eyed figure. Her gaze narrowing just slightly.

When talk turned to plans, distractions and sneaking; she gave a slow nod. Rolling her shoulders as if loosening something beneath the surface.

"Aye… sa' what's yer plan wit' th' distraction then? Ah'm real good at makin' folk look th' wrong way."

She sauntered toward Neo, boots crunching softly against the scorched ground. Her attention flicked to the owl perched on his shoulder, and without much ceremony she lifted a finger toward it, hovering just shy of its beak.

"An' what's this then, eh? Th' real brains o' th' outfit?"

Neo listened to what Marrion had to say. He nodded slowly, “I was hardly expecting to go unnoticed the entire time, certainly it can be achieved if everything goes perfectly but I do try to have contingency plans..and a realist mindset even if I think highly of me and my..coworkers abilities.” He’d grin a bit.

Before pausing his face looking more neutral briefly,

“We…do you mean you? You’d offer to fly around and provide a distraction for us..yes that..could be very helpful, it could help get quite a few people and..less savory things off our back outside, as you’re aware I’m sure that you’d be potentially putting yourself in more harms way.”

“And it’s..not inherently no killing, It’s just I would just urge that it’s only used as a last resort.” He reiterated.

“One of those..yes, I’m hoping to pick one of those up my self soon enough, I think I know someone who can teach me how.” He’d give a smile in the direction of Miyu.

“But I can imagine that’ll help out with your haul.” It seemed Neo knew what Miyu was talking about without having to see it literally.

“Miyu brings up a good point, you all can call me Neo. And this is Ool.” He’d gesture to the sizable Owl which was still perched on his arm.

He also gave Aren a nod, "Right, why the faster we can grab the goods and get out of the better, as by the time the word gets around fully I’m certain the Empire will be more than happy to send us a welcoming party filled with Gladius, spears, and bows and arrows.”

He then turned to Izzy. Ool gently poked her finger with their beak like they were curious before they spoke softly,

“Greetings M’lady, I will admit sometimes I do have ideas of my own, ones which I think have worked out rather splendidly if I do say so myself.” The owl announced.

Ool continued, “I think you’re more then welcome to join the flying one in the distraction if you’d like then. You two could always split their attention, and then you can regroup with us after they’ve been dealt with, but I’m just sharing what comes to my mind.”

Neo nodded thoughtfully before looking to Izzy. “I think up to you then, if you want to help our new winged friend out before you scale the wall."

“I think we’re all in agreement on this modified plan now that we’ve come together? You can always take one of these to help disorientate them too during your escape.” Neo offered the smoke orb up either Izzy or Marrion, since it didn’t have to be exclusive one or the other.

"Oi! Fochin' bawls!"

Izzy gave an animated start as Ool spoke. She jerked her head back, staggering a step or two away before glancing sharply toward Aren.

"Oi, boyo, ye'r seein' th' bird talk too, aye?"

She looked back toward Ool and Neo, narrowing her eyes.

"Ain' tha' a fochin' riot."

A loud snort followed as she hooked a thumb into her belt loop, straightening up again though she kept a noticeable bit of distance from the owl now.

She listened as the two of them spoke, her expression shifting between amused and mildly put upon.

When the suggestion came that she join the strange three-eyed girl, Izzy let out a long, exaggerated sigh.

"No' givin' me much te' work with 'ere… but aye, alright. Ah'll go… wit' th' er… creepy lass."

She muttered under her breath as she stepped forward, swiping the black orb from Neo with practiced ease. The motion was smooth, familiar like she'd lifted more valuable things under worse circumstances.

She turned the orb once in her hand before stuffing it into a pouch at her side.

Then, just as quickly, her demeanor shifted.

A practiced smile slipped into place as she turned toward Marrion, golden eyes dragging slowly up and down her form with open, unabashed curiosity.

"Right'o… name's Izzy. Yew ah… ye got a plan already? Flyin', is it?"

She tilted her head slightly, one brow lifting.

"Ain' done much o' that… but ah'm good at talkin', startin' fights… even singin' an' a little dancin'."

A grin tugged at the corner of her lips sharp, playful, and just a touch dangerous.

"Marrion. You can call us Marrion." She replied at Miyu's inquiry. Her middle eye glanced at Miyu but the normal eyes didn't really move, still keeping eyes on Neo.

"Yes killing. Noted."

"Yes. We...-" Marrion's words trailed as she correct her sentence. "I, can fly around for distraction. Distraction method varies. We, I, are good for that."

The blind guy paired her with the woman with the thick accent. Marrion wasn't sure about half of what the woman said but she seemed confident on her abilities. Good.

"Here's plan. We- I, dropped you on strategic spot. Do what you want. W- I will patrol around." A vague plan, but then again there's not much information about the enemies or the layout so she didn't want to overthink it. Marrion grunted briefly and two pairs of translucent insect wings appeared on her back. Faint buzzing sound could be heard as she fly above the ground and extended her chitin-covered hand towards Izzy, offering a flight for her.

✿︎

"Oh, what the fuck." Miyu didn't bother with his phrasing.

Looking to the owl, he halted his many inquiries compared to how he'd usually act. After all, it isn't everyday you'd be coined into the same pouch as a motley crew as he was currently in.

A talking owl? That's a first.

Though questions he had many. He still needed to understand that these strangers could very much end him at any part of this mission if he so much crossed them the wrong way - he didn't know any of their capacities or intentions yet, nor did he desire to discover it.

Sometimes restraint was better than action.

"Nice freaky lookin' parrot."

...

But, of course, he had yet to learn the restraint in his lack of situational awareness and for his poor timing when it came to his up front dialogue.

Miyu turned to Izzy, sighing as he found her personality a little too familiar to deal with among his past social circles. He seemed to always attract such people regardless of his association and relationship with them.

"Has anyone ever told you you're quite the boisterous type?" Miyu offered, although neutral. Neither a compliment nor an insult but his gaze did hold a gentle sterness akin to that of an uncle despite his shorter frame in comparison. "But I suppose it'll be much needed Charisma for what we're doing. For better or for worse. As for Marrion here..."

Miyu inspected the insect-like wings attached from their back, gazing at it with a curious eye before tilting his head back in the opposite direction. It was rude enough to stare, even ruder for him to ask.

"Yeah, I ain't dealing with that dookie. I need a fucking beer after this." Despite his well-intended manners, he had little intent to preserve any bit of politeness.

"If we can agree to this initial phase of the plan, should we expect anything else when we enter?" Miyu brought up further as he turned back to Neo. "I doubt every and all security personnel would leave their stations at the attention of a distraction - especially those that are guarding something significantly important."

Miyu reached into his inventory sub-space, pulling out a leather waterskin and opening its lid.

"Now, I'm not particularly skilled at swordplay so if I am to scale that wall only to be met with aggression, I can only assist the kid here-" He gestured to Aren with a pointed thumb- "and yourself if it does arise to it." He said before taking a chug at a noticeable red liquid with a fruity smell that stained his lips as he drank.

✿︎

Izzy's outburst drew a quiet, immediate grin from Aren. As he glanced between her and the owl, his expression settled into something far too calm to be entirely sincere.

"…Talk?" he echoed. A small pause, followed by a faint tilt of his head. "I'm pretty sure it just blinked."

He took another casual bite of his apple, like that settled the matter. "You might want to slow down a bit," he added, his tone almost thoughtful. "We haven't even started the job yet, and you're already seeing conversational wildlife." Though he fought to keep his expression neutral, his suppressed mirth was betrayed by the slightest smirk and a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Miyu's comments pulled his attention next. Aren followed the thumb pointed his way, then let his gaze drop just enough to take in the height difference.

The smirk on his face deepened.

"Kid, huh?"

He shifted his weight slightly, rolling one shoulder.

"You won't have to worry about me," he added easily. "Walls like that are half the job most nights, and I can hold my own in a fight."

Then, after a brief pause:

"...and if you have trouble reaching the handholds, I can always rig up a backpack for you," he casually went on, his tone just serious enough to make it unclear if it was a joke or a genuine offer.

Aren's attention drifted back toward Neo and the building, the smirk softening into something more focused. "Either way, I'm ready to go whenever."

---

Abilities:
1: Deadpan | Grade F

[Deception] F
0 post cooldown
Is he joking? Is he serious? Or perhaps...both?

Funnily enough Ool stayed quiet after they finished speaking. Neo nodded, when Izzy took the orb.

“Very well then you’ll be on distraction, the rope will be ready for you to scale if necessary when everything is said and done, but sounds like Marrion might be able to get you up there too..”

“There shouldn’t be all too many guards around here all at once, just enough to keep watch, what we are attempting is..relatively uncommon in this area I think..but I’d be cautious just the same.”

He then looked to Marrion, “If all of you can carry Izzy that’d be great, maybe get her in range to cause a real effective distraction.”

Upon Miyu calling Ool a parrot, they rotated their head like an owl’s range, and said

“who who?” Also not speaking after Aren said he didn’t think Ool had spoke.

Neo also addressed Miyu’s questions,

“Expect the potential for armed East Empire guards, ones wielding, spears, gladius’ and bow and arrows, I’m not anticipating a heavy guard presence however, just enough to secure the building from a modest group of mundane bandits targeting the building.”

He also nodded, “Understood, No matter, I’ll be able to help deal with opposition should it come to it..” Neo actually felt quite capable of dealing with average guards from experience.

He then turned his head to Aren. “Good to know” responding to his comment about being able to hold his own in a fight, not saying anything on the matter if Ool spoke.

“I think we are ready to get going then.” He announced, moving away from the Steele. Ool got off his arm and took flight in the air with Flying F.

Assuming everyone else was ready Neo gestured for them to follow him, as he headed toward the building,

Moving along without incident, assuming everyone followed, they’d see the building more clearly in the distance once they took some cover behind a fairly sizable rock near a more thickly settled tree line, peaking around there were infact, a couple East Empire guards milling about, walking around the building from the looks of things, they both had spears and armor.

And another pair of armor spear wielding guards were walking around the other side in the opposite direction it looked like so two sides were always being covered at once. Empire style stone pathing was laid around the building, and attached to the road up, which went by the rock Neo was currently behind. It was safe to say falling on the ground around the building wouldn’t be a soft landing.

“I’m expecting a light patrol around the perimeter.” Neo spoke aloud.

“Marrion..I believe that you lot and Izzy should act first to get their attention, shortly after the rest of us will get a move on, it’s do or things get complicated time.” Neo spoke much more seriously now,

He’d wait for Marrion and Izzy to get distracting before he’d begin to move toward the wall with the hole in it quickly, using a combination of skills:

Actions 1 & 2:
Seeing and Moving Beyond: Supersense Echolocation D, Supersense Tremorsense D, Feature: Blindsight, Feature: Range Sense, Feature: Spatial Sense, Feature: Depth Awareness, Heightened Sense [Hearing] F, Acrobatics E, Athletics E, Fast E, Special Movement: Quiet, Special movement: Balance, Special Movement: Untrackable, Energized D - Grade D ability 1 post cooldown, energized)

"Clearing one side should be enough to make a path for us. Means two targets at least." Marrion assessed the situation around the building. She glanced at Izzy.

"You ready?" Marrion grabbed Izzy and lifted her bridal style with her four arms. Two upper one were the ones covered in chitin, but the two lower ones were fleshy human hands. Despite her slightly smaller size, Marrion was surprisingly strong and carried Izzy with relative ease as they soared across the sky.

"We will drop you off. You take the left one, we take the right one." Marrion dropped Izzy in a secluded hidden spot behind an Empire-style pillar near the guard's patrol route.

Meanwhile, Marrion immediately folded her wings and went crawling on all six like a giant cockroach. Using the shadow and nearby obstacles to stealthily made her way to one of the guard from behind. Once in range, she leapt at the guard. Her lower arms trying to choke the guard's neck while her upper arms trying to strangle the man's face with a sheet of silk. She was trying to cut the guard's airflow quickly while preventing him from screaming. If she success, she would drag the body away and hide it somewhere.

Action(Energized F & Extra 2 Limbs):
1) Carry Izzy - Flight F & Superstrength F
2) (Agile perk) Crawl towards the guard and strangle him - Fast F, Stealth F, Wall-crawling F, Superstrength F, Silk Affinity F
3) Hide body

Izzy shook her head, crossing her arms in frustration as Aren suggested the owl hadn't spoken.

"Nah' No'way et ain' been tha' fochn' long since ah' drank. Ah'm no'lightweight..." She insisted. But her eyes narrowed when the owl twisted its head and remained silent. "Oh'ye' think ye're real funny aye?" The woman muttered, her eyes flicking between Aren and Neo and the Owl.

Another swig was taken after that, as if just in spite of the suggestion she'd had too much. Boots crunched on the ground with oddly confident steps, despite the slight sway in her gait. When they arrived at the rock, she leaned up against it, quietly surveying the targets. She nodded, screwing the cap of her canteen back on, when Marrion scooped her up.

The womans arms instinctively hooked around the females neck. And Izzy immediately grimaced and let out a barking laugh. "Oi Oi! Take ah woman out tae' dinner first why don'tcha! Gettin' awfully handsy!" The former pirate let out a snort of laughter again. Nodding and waving her hand dismissively as the bug girl gave her suggestion.

Despite being placed somewhere discreet and out of the way, Izzy pulled her canteen out and staggered straight out into the middle of the road, walking up to the guard on the left. She grinned and pointed at him.

"Eeeeeei! You!" Her voice rang out across the stone path—loud, careless, impossible to ignore. "Ain' this th' part where ye ask a lady if she’s lost, hmm?"

She took another step forward nearly tripping, catching herself on nothing, and laughing it off. The canteen swung lazily from her fingers.

"Or d'ye Empire boys only know how tae march an' look pretty in armor?" She stumbled forward again, this time deliberately. Her body dipped low like she was about to fall, and then snapped upward in one fluid, whip fast motion.

Her fingers flicked from the canteen, something thin and glinting slipping between them. A needle, Precise, and controlled. Her drunken sway turned into surgical strike. Two rapid taps. One at the inner elbow, one just beneath the collarbone. Followed by a third; light, almost playful tap at the side of the neck. Pressure points meant to paralyze opponents temporarily.

Actions:
1. Step out of cover
2. Try to catch the attention of the guards
3. [Doctors Drunken Strike] - [Fighting Style: Drunken Fist] E, [Incapacitate] E, [Flexible] E, [Acurate] E, [Acrobatics] F: Character strikes in a drunken fist style to paralyze the target. Hard to hit. (Grade E, Cool Down 1 Post)

✿︎

Miyu blinked once.

Blinked twice.

Three times at Aren's comment before the realisation hit him.

"What the fuck do you mean by that, you little sh-"

Before Miyu could release his argument, Neo fetched the rest of the party along before Miyu could finish.

Watching them prepare, Miyu simply grumbled before clicking his tongue with a followed roll of his eyes, and taking to the others' rear.

He'd have to give that Aren boy an earful later the moment Miyu found a comfortable place to banter.

The path was clear towards their current hiding spot, fast and simple towards the large rock they took cover behind. It helped that Miyu was at the backline as he followed the others' coordinated movements and copy their pathing to avoid any minor mistakes.

Albeit with a lack of practiced technique compared to everyone else.

Miyu then watched Marion and Izzy depart, their plan to distract was taking part - but Miyu couldn't quite help but feel oddly cautious.

Marrion took to her target quite cleanly and effectively. But as Izzy approached the guards in a drunken stupor, Miyu couldn't quite help but pinch the bridge of his nose to.

"Don't mean to be quite the doubter but are we quite certain she's capable of-" Not a moment after, his words got stuck in his throat as he watched the woman display strikes and accurate punctures with her needle that seemed to make the woman quite unfamiliar compared to her earlier presentation and attitude just moments prior.

She seemed calculating. Her moves fast and hands steady. An effective combatant.

"I'll shut up." Miyu nodded, thoroughly impressed. No amount of Doctor certificates and years in any nursing school could account or replicate that level of precise acupuncture Izzy had.

He then turned to the other two men.

"So." Miyu began. "Is this perhaps a bad time to say that I willingly refuse to climb the rope considering I'm not particularly proficient in that kind of athleticism?"

He said, quite nonchantly despite the current position of the group's planning. Of course, Miyu spoke in a way that wasn't troublesome. More so, vaguely as he presented his information akin to that of a chore.

✿︎

Aren grinned at Miyu's indignation, a devilish twinkle in his eye as he stepped to the edge of the roof. His eyes watched as Marrion flew off with Izzy, then let out a low whistle as she proceeded to scuttle off like some sort of bug. "You certainly don't see that every day, do ya?"

The amusement on his face only deepened as Miyu voiced his doubts about Izzy, then was immediately proven wrong. He crossed his arms in pride as she dispatched the guards, as if he had been the one who taught her to fight like that. "I'd stay on her good side if I were you. She's one of them unpredictable types. Never know what she's gonna do. I almost feel sorry for those guys." He chuckled as he turned back toward the group. "...Almost."

As he joined the other two men by the wall, Aren raised an eyebrow at Miyu's comment about refusing to climb. He hummed softly to himself as he looked toward the top, doing some calculations in his head. "Well," he started as he rubbed his chin, "if you don't like the backpack idea, you could tie a rope around your waist, and we could hoist you up like lifting a bucket from a well." He turned to Neo. "I don't see any other way to get him up, though. Do yo-" He stopped abruptly as he looked at Neo's blindfold. "Ooooooooooohhhhhhh..." His teeth hissed as he sharply inhaled through them. "Sorry about that, boss."