Vim: Tales from Lumina (Fantasy/Arcanepunk/IC)

[Britanania]

Venusta

The young woman took a long drag from her pipe before she blew out a long and thing vapour puff. Venusta gave a slight pause before she replied to Sibyl's suggestions.

"Si," she said with a nod. "There is a negozio di vestiti nearby my hotel. We can go and select some outfits."

When one of the others, the one Sibyl mentioned was named Ana, spoke Venusta turned and pointed her pipe at her.

"Bambina, we can disguise you as our servula," she said in High Cadian. "Our servant girl."

[Prusselanden]

Venusta

The young woman took a long drag from her pipe before she blew out a long and thing vapour puff. Venusta gave a slight pause before she replied to Sibyl's suggestions.

"Si," she said with a nod. "There is a negozio di vestiti nearby my hotel. We can go and select some outfits."

When one of the others, the one Sibyl mentioned was named Ana, spoke Venusta turned and pointed her pipe at her.

"Bambina, we can disguise you as our servula," she said in High Cadian. "Our servant girl."

"Do you happen to have a disguise for me too?" Jonah asked Venusta. "I haven't been able to obtain new clothes in months, and my current ones are either covered with blood, pus, or both. Well, it it's too much trouble, I'll try to wash my current ones."

He looked down sheepishly at his dirtied garments. Jules had tried to wash them as often for him, but in Blight town there were not that many areas to find clean running water.

[Menschenfleisch]

another asakku

Ana wasn't particularly miffed about Venusta's suggestion. She hardly recognised anyone here but she mostly trusted the ageing Sibyl's judgement. Someone in her career, and someone who loved their family so much, would surely have been cautious in associating with others. "Servant girl? It might seem a bit odd for me to attend, then. I'm hardly servantly material." she showed her fingers, long and beastly. "It is an unfortunate reality that I was... engineered, for lack of a better term, to be a weapon. The rituals, the agony; I've probably turned out rather traumatised and socially inept, although I don't really know whether that's the case. Nobody can judge themselves, after all. Hey, I'm not acting like a total fuddy duddy, am I? Ah, that's besides the point. What I was trying to get at is that I'm very conspicuous. Even if I can acquire a disguise, I'll be attracting attention and any amount of that is going to hinder our mission."

She glanced at the detective, apparently unaware of just how old she sounded. Was it a little lingo picked up from the laboratory? "You have the final say. Whatever you think is best, I'm fine with." she reached into her bag and casually pulled out another unpeeled onion, slowly sinking her teeth into the bulb.

[Naval Monte]

Sibyl Blackstone

When Venusta told her that there was a store close by her hotel the detective nodded, hiding the fact she didn't understand some of her words due to her not being fluent in High Cadian. "That sounds good. How far are we from your hotel and how much does the average item in that store cost?" The detective asked, already suspecting numbers to be in the triple digits. Thankfully the Ernst decided to  come to me for help and give me some of their money for my case, otherwise I wouldn't even think of going to the richer districts."

When Jonah mention on whether he would need new clothes or clean his old ones the detective would respond with."I can clean your clothes and Jules if you want but I think right now it might best if we find you new clothing for this occasion."  Sibyl would turn to Ana as she told her that disguising the girl might be a problem... Along with the horror story that was her apparent creation.

Sibyl looked at Ana with pity, feeling sorry for the girl for what occurred to her before. "Were you made from different ingredients that created life like a homunculus or were you once a regular human changed into your current state?" The detective had a terrible hunch that it was the latter. She had a few cases where she had to save people kidnapped by made scientists and sorcerers and often saw the horrific results of their twisted experiments on both the living and deceased.

But being reminded the girl's odd nature made Sibyl ponder on just how to deal with Ana's peculiar traits? Sibyl look around the crowd as she though on how to make Ana less conspicuous in the party. As she watch the crowd she saw a man who seem to come from the Carthus region playing musical instruments that put several serpents under his control. She saw a Carthus woman wearing exotic and flashy clothing as she danced for the crowd, the woman conjuring fire and moving it in time with her dance.

These display of magic made Sibyl think of a crazy idea. "Ashwood is a mage. She is just a scientist studying a field that for many years has been steep in religion, mysticism, and folklore. I think for you bringing more attention might work since we can distract Ashwood and her guests while members of the group more skill with sneaking around to do their work." She told Ana. "And if you play as the role of a servant girl we can distract them with whatever fantastical tale we can conjure before we go to the party."

[True Refuge]

Everton Tallow

Everton bowed his head while Blackstone replied, listening now from a step behind her. Her reply had that tinge of surprise to it, a strategist's momentary fear when they realise their work was incomplete. Had she forgotten to account for it? That'd be a struggle, judging by her jerks and startles when he spoke to her. He'd probably never left her thoughts for the whole night. Flattering, but if she'd forgotten even with that... Another response to remember, to add to the list. That list was growing quickly.

Using this mask, however, sounded like it would be enough to keep his face one of many hidden in the crowd of Ashwood's galas. Surely it had a degree of power to its nullification—the sort that said much about Blackstone’s tactics outside of these extraordinary circumstances if it were in regular use—if the artifact possessed as infamous a history as Blackstone said it did. The question was, did its unknown author know what they was doing when they put their tools to fabric? There were so many things that could go wrong with that type of item, regardless of whether it was pure-Vim or the traditional Runic Disciplines the smith preferred.

Even if he was to wear some unknown tanner's work and let its unproven material touch his skin, he would be prepared with the work of a greater man. That particular sequence was waiting on his cane in the tenement, waiting like the rest. Imperfections left untreated by some lowly criminal mage meant little for Blackstone's illusion in the face of that runic artwork. As for his pendant, he guessed from her startling that he wouldn't need to worry about that. She wouldn't dare misplace his possessions, not with the sentiment around it. He gave Blackstone a curt nod and withdrew to stand a pace behind.

He glanced back at the assembled group, now all in front. The talk had moved on again. From Venusta's ideas for covers, to which Everton listened with far more focus than he had for her taunts, it drifted to having a bunch of wide-eyed stares directed at the girl, 'Sera'. A reasonable enough topic, what with the way that her neck twisted remarkably far during her stretching, more than the benefits of flexibility might allow. Yet, Everton gave her little more than a raised eyebrow. The prickling on the back of his neck whenever he glanced at her wasn't unfamiliar nor did it tug at his thoughts. A quick, snapping look between the others established his reaction as being in stark contrast to those of others who'd noticed the performance fitting for a circus contortionist. He looked at Sera as Blackstone made her additions to the plan and asked her questions, observing flatly. Still behind him, he ran his fingers over each other, tracing particular old combinations recently refreshed. The world had stranger oddities.

[Menschenfleisch]

ˈɑːnə ə nɑː ə sæk uː

Now, this is a story all about how
Ana's life got flipped-turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there
I'll tell you how she reacted to the events described above

In Blighttown born and raised
In the slums was where she spent most of her days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool
And all brutally dismembering some completely unassuming individuals outside of literally any building in the city
When a couple of guys who were up to no good

Started making trouble in her neighborhood
She got in one little fight and pretty much everybody got scared
They said 'Holy shit guys there's this weird killing machine in the slums don't go there'
They begged and pleaded with the police day after day
But they held up their hands and sent them away

Ana learned to be good and then she got herself an income.
She put her uniform on and said, 'I might as well kick it'.
First class, yo this is bad
Serving orange juice out of a champagne glass.
Is this what the people of the city living like?

Hmm this might be alright.
But wait she heard they're prissy, bourgeois, all that
Is this the type of place that they just send this cool cat?
She didn't think it should be so
But what else was she to do there?

She hope they were prepared for the little learning girl
Well, the day arrived and when she started serving
There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with her name out
She wasn't trying to get arrested yet
She just got there

She sprang with the quickness like lightning, disappeared
She whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice hanging from the front
If anything she could say that this cab was rare
But she thought 'Nah, forget it' - 'I'm going to walk into this active crime scene and risk contaminating it despite having literally no reason to do so. Yeah, that's a great idea! Maybe I'll offer my services to the police too, with literally no reward forthcoming. Man, I'm a genius, aren't I?'

She pulled up to the detective's house about seven or eigth
And she yelled to the officer 'Yo homes smell ya in the morn'
She looked at the kingdom
She was finally there
To sleep on a bed without a solemn care

"(Wh-... holy shit, what was that?)"

Personal questions were being asked, and personal answers were going to be given. "Regular human. I was sold to an influential cabal of cults when I was three months old; something about particularly high susceptibility to deific incarnation. I was kept until my fifth birthday when they bound me to the secant, which happened to be... wait, shit. The Fifthists are from the SCP Foundation. Wait, am I a ripoff of Jackie? Is the secant literally just Avarice? Oh god, oh fuck-"

"look can we stop with the meta shit"

---

Personal questions were being asked, and personal answers were going to be given. "Regular human. I was sold to an influential cabal of cults when I was three months old. On my fifth birthday, they bound me to The Secant. They were attempting to sacrifice me but instead, I felt it interface with me. Something about it was different, apparently. They said that it was... evolved. Ascended, and given new purpose. It spoke to me with a... woman's voice. It touched me here." she pointed to her cheek, where red lines spread in inconspicuous patterns about her skin. "and it said to me... to prosper. To be good, and to save lives. It told me to change the world, and-" she stumbled on a rock, clutching her head. Her eyes were a brighter shade of red now, a sliver of black smoke escaping from the corner of her mouth. "Next thing I know, I'm sitting in an impossibly large room. I turn around and there's this door. There's a man next to me, and he says... 'don't trust her'. I opened it up and then I was on a rooftop."

She sucked in a deep breath, the memories of this event shifting as she imagined them again. "The cult. I never found them again. Nobody had even heard of them when I returned. They called themselves Chords, and thought they were extensions of some incredibly vast creature, whose existence intersected with countless other parallel iterations of our world. I saw the truth of what I was. A rejected fragment of a cycle, a cycle with seven members and I-... can I stop, now?" her cheery smile snapped back, and her juvenile manners returned in full force. She skipped on her heels, starry eyed at Everton and Venusta. Strangers, with so much rich history to offer! "Oh, magic? Yeah! That might work! I'm a pretty good actor when I need to be. The other orphans said I was a great singer, too. Hey, do you think Ashwood would let me stay if I just told her what I was? Maybe she'd be fascinated by what I was! Although, she might want to keep me for study... but that's okay! It's not as if I have anything to lose, after all."

She finished off her 'fruit', eating with a previously unobserved vigour. "So, what do you say? I can't wait to try on a dress!"

[True Refuge]

Everton Tallow

Now that was a show. A spot of reddening eyes—an intimidation done better by others before her even without her lack of eyelids—simmering away, little crimson marks winding their way around Sera's skin, and a bit of black smoke drifting by her words. She spoke about gods, spoke as if those tracings on her face could be called scars! His mouth threatened to curl into a scowl. He nearly gave it permission. This sad example of a child mage knew nothing of either. Nothing! Yet she stared up at him, incessantly gnawing away at that onion, expectant of some easy sympathy or a moment of brevity. Just as with the last time such a person presented herself to him in that sorry state of mood swinging that urged him to strike the nearest hard object, he offered little of either. He merely let his eyes narrow a tad, an expression of attentive inquiry.

But Sera's story told of unknown loyalties and the possibility of mental engineering. Those types that supposedly created her, all know-nothings themselves, never let an asset like her go without insurance. There were more questions to be asked, and a much, much smaller amount of secrets to be revealed in her presence. Perhaps later when he had garnered more about Sera's past, he'd describe these cults to the occupant of the top of his address book. They'd love that. There was little doubt there was anyone more interested in their exploits than that woman. In the meantime, he would keep his employers' cards close to the chest. The group had offered little in terms of encouragement to do otherwise.

"If I may ask young Sera a question before we continue discussing our outfits and performances for the upcoming event," he said, looking to the girl with as much composure as always. "I'm curious as to the magics that your experiences, for the lack of a better label, have granted you. If we are going ahead with this illusion of a magic show, it might be important to know," he acknowledged Blackstone with a glance lasting an instant, "and it would be better for all of us if we knew the skills of the people we may end up fighting alongside."

He swiveled slightly to the rest of the group, frozen in that peering look. "On that note, I might ask the same of you all. After all, Ashwood's security won't be making any allowances for us failing to pool our skills if our little subterfuge at the party is discovered."

[Britanania]

Venusta

The Inquisitor puffed out a long stream of vapour from her pipe. She turned to the Alban, Everton.

"Signor Tallow," she began. "I can assure you that I will be just fine of this escursione." Venusta show him a look with her sapphire eyes that betrayed her persona of a simple Cadian fashionista and gave a hint at the inquisitor who spent her life dedicated, some might say fanatically, to her faith. For a brief moment, Venusta let Everton into her world.

"Regardless," the Cadian said as she looked back at the others. "If there is nothing else to discuss, perhaps we can go shopping?"

[Prusselanden]

Venusta

The Inquisitor puffed out a long stream of vapour from her pipe. She turned to the Alban, Everton.

"Signor Tallow," she began. "I can assure you that I will be just fine of this escursione." Venusta show him a look with her sapphire eyes that betrayed her persona of a simple Cadian fashionista and gave a hint at the inquisitor who spent her life dedicated, some might say fanatically, to her faith. For a brief moment, Venusta let Everton into her world.

"Regardless," the Cadian said as she looked back at the others. "If there is nothing else to discuss, perhaps we can go shopping?"

"You won't have to wash my clothes. I'm fine with going as your serving boy or something" Jonah smiled at Sybil. "I can even give you some money for new clothes if you really need it." Jules had let him keep his own allowance, even if it wasn't much. However, he had saved up enough to afford a few garments.

"I can serve as a medic and I'm not half bad at Phantasmal magic, as long as I'm using it as a shield." Jonah turned his attention to Everton. "I won't get in the way. Promise. If trouble happens I can always run by myself. You saw how I got here after all, didn't you?"

"I agree with Venusta. We should probably go find our disguises now."

[Luminesa]

Waking into a mechanical world
A centuries-long sleep in the corner of a grandfather clock
The gong has sounded.
Only once, and never again.
Escaping through the cracks, only to find the world outside is broken.
The air I breathe, constructed and ticking.

The world had made much more sense the last time Ichiru had been awake...or at least, he had thought it had made sense. At least the sun had been shining, the last time he had seen the world. Now, in this strange city, the night seemed to be endless. Or perhaps the lack of light came from the deep, thick, disgusting smog that filled the world above him. He had never quite seen anything like it, this island in which he had just arrived. He took off his glasses, wiped them with his cloak's sleeves, and put them back on, blinking as he re-examined the world around him.

The bolts in my lungs
Rusted and worn
The cables running down my spine, shiver and shudder
Chance and circumstance are slots in the machine
But my luck has run-out.

He turned the letter over and over in his hand as he walked. The address he had received was not any address he recognized. The writing was in no language he had ever seen. Some sort of runes. They made about as much sense as this machine-ridden world in which he now walked. The cruel steel of the skyscrapers around him gleamed, as the buildings rose far above his head. Automobiles moved past him, people on the street-corners argued over the newest products in the newspaper. At one point, he stopped to look and see about item two people were arguing. It was some sort of...pill? A pill with...Magical powers. In bold black letters, the advertisement read: HARD WORK DOESN'T COMPLETE ITSELF. GIVE YOURSELF THE SATISFACTION OF MORE PRODUCTIVITY WITH BELLINGTON'S VASH PILL SOLUTION. 150% MORE PRODUCTIVITY GUARANTEED.

"150% more productivity? That's ridiculous! The human body can't possibly exceed 100% of its capabilities even with more Vim! Plus, can you imagine how much you would poison your body?" the first man argued.

"And you think working 14-hour days with only 20 minutes of lunch is fair? You think that they care about your safety? Huh? You think your boss will listen if you tell him you need to work less hours during the day? You'd get fired and you know it! This is the best way to deal with the issue," the second man argued.

"Oh you would definitely get fired. Fired into the stratosphere like 50 tons of dynamite if you actually take the dosage this thing recommends! Four pills of Vash? Imagine what that would do to your blood!" the first man shot back.

"...Magic...in your blood?"

Both of the men noticed Ichiru now, and turned to stare at him. His appearance was unusual, and both men backed away from him as he spoke in a soft, thoughtful voice. Feathery white hair, pale skin, and deep-violet eyes which seemed to be eternally thinking. A long, pristine, dove-white cloak. He almost looked like a spirit of some sort, a strangely mystical visage in a world hued by blacks, greys, and smog. "...Excuse me, sir? Do you need something?" the first man inquired.

Ichiru blinked, and shook his head. "...I'm sorry, thinking out loud. I...I don't read the papers very much..." he explained.

"Well what do you want then? We've got five minutes left on our break, kiddo, if you don't have anything you need then run along and go to school," the second man scolded.

...'Kiddo'? He was not indignant, but rather confused. He was an adult, not a child. He had been an adult for longer than either of those men had been alive. A thousand years, in fact. Yet he could not tell random people such information, as it could lead to mayhem. Instead of arguing, he bowed his head for a moment and thought. A minute passed, and the two men looked from him to each other, and then back to him. "...I...don't worry about it. Sorry, I suppose I got lost...Have a good day, gentlemen." He walked away, leaving them to think they had encountered some mentally-unhinged scraggler wandering through the streets. He would be far from the only one in this miserable place to be wandering without purpose. And Vim had its ways of causing people to feel unhinged sometimes.

Pouring out pain as currency,
Every movement is work, every joint another bolt bursting loose
I am losing myself and finding myself again,
As I flip the switch.

The building he was looking for was dark like the rest of those in the city, but for some reason he felt he was in the right place. He wondered why he had been invited to this place, a place in which he felt he did not belong. The building did have some elements of the old world, with piercing spires and complex ribbing surrounding it. Yet at its core the building was still another soulless skyscraper. He sighed, and then coughed loudly. He wanted to get out of the smog, as he was starting to feel mildly ill. Without a word, he stepped into this building, hoping to find answers.

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

Sibyl heard the rest of her group tall with each other, worry now that her party may not get along. Her concerns went mostly to Everton as the mage, while a competent warrior and rune caster, wasn't exactly the most sociable nor relatable person around. "I think Tallow is right. We should know what we are capable of so we can work better with each other."

The detective heard Jonah sharing his skills. "I'm a detective so besides the normal schools one would see from a detective I also know decently on some Vim based technologies and can use sorcery. My sorcery is inherited from my half elf traits which include the elvan senses and agility and reflexes... though I got those from an infusion." Sibyl look down as she fidget, embarrassed on admitting to have enhanced her body with infusions to gain abilities that should have been natural abilities but were absent due to her human genes.

"But with my magic I can use five; those are phantasm, divination, necromancy, summoning, and mental. I have some training with both daggers and revolvers and as mentioned before I know how to sneak around when need too." She told the group. When Venusta told her that she was willing to pay the half elf smiled. "You don't need to do that ma'am. I can pay for my own dress and if need be for Jonah and Sera."

---

When Ichiru enter the lobby he would see pillars of marble in the building and monochromatic checkerboard tile floors with a polish ceiling that almost acted as a mirror. Golden lamp posts hung from the pillars and wall. He would see glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Walking to the receptionists he would see what looks like a pale woman with black hair and blue eyes looking at him.

He would feel magic coming from her but she felt different from most people. When he was close to the woman she would smile at him. "Good morning sir. Are you here for an appointment?" She asked. If Ichiru was very quiet he would faintly hear the sounds of gears twisting coming from somewhere close the woman and him.

[Luminesa]

Lumina

Sibyl heard the rest of her group tall with each other, worry now that her party may not get along. Her concerns went mostly to Everton as the mage, while a competent warrior and rune caster, wasn't exactly the most sociable nor relatable person around. "I think Tallow is right. We should know what we are capable of so we can work better with each other."

The detective heard Jonah sharing his skills. "I'm a detective so besides the normal schools one would see from a detective I also know decently on some Vim based technologies and can use sorcery. My sorcery is inherited from my half elf traits which include the elvan senses and agility and reflexes... though I got those from an infusion." Sibyl look down as she fidget, embarrassed on admitting to have enhanced her body with infusions to gain abilities that should have been natural abilities but were absent due to her human genes.

"But with my magic I can use five; those are phantasm, divination, necromancy, summoning, and mental. I have some training with both daggers and revolvers and as mentioned before I know how to sneak around when need too." She told the group. When Venusta told her that she was willing to pay the half elf smiled. "You don't need to do that ma'am. I can pay for my own dress and if need be for Jonah and Sera."

---

When Ichiru enter the lobby he would see pillars of marble in the building and monochromatic checkerboard tile floors with a polish ceiling that almost acted as a mirror. Golden lamp posts hung from the pillars and wall. He would see glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Walking to the receptionists he would see what looks like a pale woman with black hair and blue eyes looking at him.

He would feel magic coming from her but she felt different from most people. When he was close to the woman she would smile at him. "Good morning sir. Are you here for an appointment?" She asked. If Ichiru was very quiet he would faintly hear the sounds of gears twisting coming from somewhere close the woman and him.

The building was shockingly bright, a rather stunning difference from the atmosphere outside. He could almost see his reflection in the walls, not that he necessarily was impressed with what he saw of himself. The light was the one thing his soul wanted, while his soul also felt small and naked in the light. Then again, the purpose of true light was not to hide one's flaws, but to reveal them. He stared into his own eyes for a few moments, and saw only more sadness and confusion. Pulling himself from his naval-gazing, however, he walked to the receptionist's desk, and felt the strange Magic emanating from his surroundings. Her Magic was something he could not define, not now. Magic had changed quite a lot, after all, since his own time. Facing her and giving her a polite smile in return, he answered, "I would like to meet with the person who runs this...city. I was...told to come here to meet someone, but I am not sure who. And I am...I find much of what I have seen in this city to be rather discomforting." He wondered whether or not he should show her the invitation. If he was in the right place, then he would be fine. If he was not in the right place, however, then showing sensitive information might land himself in trouble. He hoped she would understand his request.

[Menschenfleisch]

Nananananananananananananananana Asakkuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu god dammit I regret choosing an alliterative name

So, questions and more questions. She was a curious creature by heart, but she'd always seen avoidance as being more important than investigation. Well, besides the obvious incident wherein she'd involved herself in a... well, honestly rather sprawling and vague police investigation. Still, though. She felt like she was approaching something of her past. She hadn't realised it before, but she'd always wanted to know where she'd come from. And those dreams, those thoughts just now - they'd set that motivation alight once again. She imagined herself then to be some sort of hunter, prowling a wood of people, trying to find her target.

"My abilities are, umm... well, I don't really know. I'm fast, and strong, and really agile. I can see things, and hear a lot further than most people. You know all the corpses in the warehouse, right? A lot of those were mine. Most, actually."

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

The woman laughed. "There are many people who own the city sir, you will have to be more specific." she told him. The sound of clockwork was temporarily louder for a brief second but quickly as it appeared it faded. "But if you're looking for Ms. Ashwood than you might need to wait. She is busy arranging things for a banquet and she doesn't want to be interrupted on her work unless it is important." When he mention that he found much what he saw in the city discomforting the woman tilted her head slightly and blink. "I don't see why you are uncomfortable in being in the city?"

She would stay silent for a while but soon her eyes lit up. "I think I understand now. You come from the countryside don't you? People from rural communities always find being in cities disorienting. Yes it would be a chaotic and confusing life but if you stay here long enough you will get use to it." she told the odd albino. "You mention you were invited to be here yes? Are you perhaps a guests for her party?" the woman asked.

Ichiru would see the doors of the elevator open and he would see a woman with black hair, red eyes, and pale skin wearing a maid uniform. Next to her was a small girl who like the maid had pale skin and raven hair, but her eyes were green. The young girl wore a black silk bonnet on top of her head with white roses on the hat. Around her shoulders and covering most of her upper body was a black cotton shawl, yet her white blouse was visible along with a gray scarf around her neck below was a knee length black skirt with white frilly edges. Her hands were covered by black gloves that fail to cover her fingers and shoes of the same color. The young girl held a stuff toy that resembled a white rabbit. She held onto it tightly as she look nervous to be in the room with everyone.

The woman looked at the maid. "Silvia why are you done here with Ms. Ashwood's daughter?" the receptionists asked. Should Ichiru look at the maid he would find that she had the same strange magical feeling as the receptionists. Should he turn his sight on the girl he would find that not only would he sense magic coming from her both it too was both unusually strong but strange, even more strange than the two women. The maid was not aware of any musing the man would have on the two as she spoke. "Our mistress wish for me to gather more supplies for the party and she wish for me to accompany her daughter to see more of the city and socialize with others." she told the woman bluntly, almost in a mechanical fashion.

The young girl was looking at Ichiru, curious on his odd appearance and no doubt his magical aura if she herself possessed such an unusual aura. Yet if Ichiru stare at the girl for too long he would see her hide behind the rabbit and walk back and go behind the maid to hide from him, popping out slight from behind the maid to get a peak at him. The maid looked at Ichiru. "Who is this man Lidia?" Silvia asked she seem to ponder if the man was a threat to her charge. "This man seems to have been invited to Ashwood's party but I told him that right now she is getting everything prepared. Unless he needs to see her for something important he will have to wait like the others."

The maid was satisfied with the answer. "Who are you? You make it obvious that this is your first time being in a city." the maid asked him as the little girl still watched him from behind the maid.

[Luminesa]

Lumina

The woman laughed. "There are many people who own the city sir, you will have to be more specific." she told him. The sound of clockwork was temporarily louder for a brief second but quickly as it appeared it faded. "But if you're looking for Ms. Ashwood than you might need to wait. She is busy arranging things for a banquet and she doesn't want to be interrupted on her work unless it is important." When he mention that he found much what he saw in the city discomforting the woman tilted her head slightly and blink. "I don't see why you are uncomfortable in being in the city?"

She would stay silent for a while but soon her eyes lit up. "I think I understand now. You come from the countryside don't you? People from rural communities always find being in cities disorienting. Yes it would be a chaotic and confusing life but if you stay here long enough you will get use to it." she told the odd albino. "You mention you were invited to be here yes? Are you perhaps a guests for her party?" the woman asked.

Ichiru would see the doors of the elevator open and he would see a woman with black hair, red eyes, and pale skin wearing a maid uniform. Next to her was a small girl who like the maid had pale skin and raven hair, but her eyes were green. The young girl wore a black silk bonnet on top of her head with white roses on the hat. Around her shoulders and covering most of her upper body was a black cotton shawl, yet her white blouse was visible along with a gray scarf around her neck below was a knee length black skirt with white frilly edges. Her hands were covered by black gloves that fail to cover her fingers and shoes of the same color. The young girl held a stuff toy that resembled a white rabbit. She held onto it tightly as she look nervous to be in the room with everyone.

The woman looked at the maid. "Silvia why are you done here with Ms. Ashwood's daughter?" the receptionists asked. Should Ichiru look at the maid he would find that she had the same strange magical feeling as the receptionists. Should he turn his sight on the girl he would find that not only would he sense magic coming from her both it too was both unusually strong but strange, even more strange than the two women. The maid was not aware of any musing the man would have on the two as she spoke. "Our mistress wish for me to gather more supplies for the party and she wish for me to accompany her daughter to see more of the city and socialize with others." she told the woman bluntly, almost in a mechanical fashion.

The young girl was looking at Ichiru, curious on his odd appearance and no doubt his magical aura if she herself possessed such an unusual aura. Yet if Ichiru stare at the girl for too long he would see her hide behind the rabbit and walk back and go behind the maid to hide from him, popping out slight from behind the maid to get a peak at him. The maid looked at Ichiru. "Who is this man Lidia?" Silvia asked she seem to ponder if the man was a threat to her charge. "This man seems to have been invited to Ashwood's party but I told him that right now she is getting everything prepared. Unless he needs to see her for something important he will have to wait like the others."

The maid was satisfied with the answer. "Who are you? You make it obvious that this is your first time being in a city." the maid asked him as the little girl still watched him from behind the maid.

Ichiru was surprised at the woman’s guess as to his origins. Continuing to give a polite smile, he answered, “Yes. I am from the country, specifically in Anjin. I have traveled much of the world, but I...I stayed away from the world for some time. I stayed more in the country. Before I came here, I had never seen anything quite like this place...I had never...felt such...Magic.” He blinked, unsure as to how he should describe his feelings. He knew that the Magic he felt was not like his own, but explaining his own Magic would be another beast he did not want to tackle.

Then another set of newcomers entered the room, a maid and a little girl. Both of them were also magical beings, but the little girl in particular was odd. Her own aura was unique. He did turn to gaze at her, though he realized, when she hid behind the maid, that he was staring rather hard. He gave an understanding look, changing from his usual contemplative expression, and he crouched a little in order to look more closely at her. “You need not hide, little one. I’m no threat to you. You are the daughter of the mayor? You are quite pretty! And your rabbit is quite lovely,” he complimented, trying to ease her troubled mind. When he was questioned directly by the maid, however, he straightened to address her, bowing slightly as he stood.

“My name is Ichiru. Ichiru Hashimoto. I came because I had questions regarding this city. I am lost, but also concerned. The matter is of some urgency, but if Mrs. Ashwood is busy then I can wait for the party. I have received an invite from a private source,” he explained. He hoped they would not ask to see it directly, as he did not know what they knew about his mysterious benefactors. Even he was not sure why he had been invited to this strange, distant place full of bizarre Magic.

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

"An Anjinese huh?" she looked over the albino man. "You are sure the oddest Anjinese I've seen. Are you an half elf or something?" the maid shook her head sighing. "I don't think the man likes having you fish for his backstory like that Lidia." the woman looked sheepishly at the man as she scratched the back of her head. "Right, sorry about that." She would put her hand down when the topic came to the city and magic.

"Yeah this city was made thanks in part to new construction techniques, materials, and enchantments with Vim. Every skyscraper you see uses both both Vuk to make them stronger than regular iron and steel buildings and Vis to lighten their mass so they won't topple down due to their increased weight. The city is very much a grand marvel of both science and magic." the woman explained with a wide smile.

The little girl still hid behind the maid but she was looking at Ichiru now, yet she still seem weary. When he said that she was pretty and that her rabbit was lovely she hide behind the maid again, now out of embarrassment than fear. The maid turn her dead to try and look behind to see the girl. "Now, now, Ms. Ashwood. You shouldn't be embarrassed over a compliment." Silvia tried to speak in the same comforting tone she heard her mistress use on her daughter many time.

When Ichiru got up to address her questions the maid turn her head back and her cold expression return. Actually she was now giving him a glare when he mention on getting an invite from a private source. "You got an invite for my mistress's party from a private source? Do you have this invite with you?" the maid question, her tone of voice just as icy as the look she was giving him. Ichiru would hear the sounds of clockwork now getting louder and increase in speed. The receptionists was more intrigued by the mystery the Anjinese presented than alarmed. "I believe what you have is urgent enough sense I'm sure she didn't make the invites private." the Lidia said. "If you have the invite with you I would like to show it to Ms. Ashwood."

As the two women talked with Ichiru the little girl peaked back out and after being quiet for a while would finally speak. "My mom isn't the mayor. She owns a company that makes stuff. But everyone still calls her the queen of the city because she is rich and powerful." Lidia look down at the girl with a smile. "And because everyone calls her a queen that makes you a little princess." the little girl once more hide behind the maid's skirt, once more from embarrassment. Silva turn her glare from Ichiru to Lidia who backed away in fear. "Oops, sorry." she clasped her hands together and raised them slightly above her head as she bow her head down. "Please forgive me!" the panicked woman shouted, more sounds of rapid turns of clockwork filling the formerly silent lobby.

The maid rolled her eyes. "I'll let this slide because you didn't mean any harm. Our little mistress here is just shy." the maid return her sight back to Ichiru. "Is there a particular reason why you were invited Mr. Hashimoto?" the maid would question as she cross her arms in front of her chest.

[True Refuge]

Everton Tallow

Everton returned Venusta's flicker with blankness. Her eyes, bright and sparkly only a few moments ago, turned cold, as if going a deep, unfathomable blue. The message came across just fine. He'd seen it in Aqyar, on the faces of Taurican bodyguards in lockstep beside their generals. He'd seen it worn by people he once called friends. That type of look had much to say despite its fleeting time spent on a face. Now this 'Venusta' gave him the very same, not knowing to whom she revealed her secrets with such abandon.

The socialite demureness fell away in that moment, a mere facade now. So it came to be act, one for which the others had all fallen head over heels. The deception wasn't quite a surprising one; almost every aspiring lady of modern culture hid behind a similar veil. For Venusta though, something more laid under that, behind this hard stare. She'd clearly intended it to be an assurance, a promise that she was capable. Worthy of his confidence, even. Capable of what? As much as she may have wanted that trust, she was now yet another of Blackstone's associates with an unknown past. It took much for someone so young to be able to deliver that expression convincingly. Appearance itself could lie easily in the era of age-reducing infusions and surgeries, but if so Venusta was hiding the mental quirks of a longer life flawlessly.

With that pattern, he might as well have suspected Jonah at the moment of the boy’s ridiculous, swooping arrival. Jonah’s hesitant mannerisms and lacklustre powers didn’t invite images of steadfastness or reliability either. A loose tongue as well wouldn’t be a surprise, and Everton's own luck had clearly been on the unfortunate side recently. Worse and worse, he thought.

“Nothing wrong with infusions, Miss Blackstone,” he said, still with clasped hands and gaze locked on Venusta though not for the reasons her clothes indicated she would have liked. The fashionable veneer had returned. "Taking a risk like that requires bravery or extreme greed. Both perfectly normal qualities for your human side.”

"Besides, it’s good to hear that we are all skilled in our own ways." He gave the requisite nod to Jonah and Sera before scrutinizing the detective's chosen once again. He couldn't shake a growing unsettling within him. It soured him to no end, but the knowledge that he was the only combat specialist there drew uncomfortable attention. What if he hadn't chosen to come, or if the Ernsts had recalled him for some other menial guard work? Lapis wouldn't be at all pleased to hear that team's chances of success in a fight against the Consortium’s trained security, even with Venusta’s unsaid abilities.

"Unfortunately I will not be joining you for shopping," he continued with a tight-lipped smile. "I have formal outfits and other materials of my own. Now, Miss Blackstone,”—he turned to Blackstone sharply—“I’ll collect that mask when we regroup at Ashwood's. It wouldn’t do for me to be seen with it in my possession beforehand, especially by any off-duty Consortium guards." He bowed slightly towards her as if moving to whisper again as he asked, "Would you prefer to take the pendant now, or before we make our entrance?"

[Luminesa]

Lumina

"An Anjinese huh?" she looked over the albino man. "You are sure the oddest Anjinese I've seen. Are you an half elf or something?" the maid shook her head sighing. "I don't think the man likes having you fish for his backstory like that Lidia." the woman looked sheepishly at the man as she scratched the back of her head. "Right, sorry about that." She would put her hand down when the topic came to the city and magic.

"Yeah this city was made thanks in part to new construction techniques, materials, and enchantments with Vim. Every skyscraper you see uses both both Vuk to make them stronger than regular iron and steel buildings and Vis to lighten their mass so they won't topple down due to their increased weight. The city is very much a grand marvel of both science and magic." the woman explained with a wide smile.

The little girl still hid behind the maid but she was looking at Ichiru now, yet she still seem weary. When he said that she was pretty and that her rabbit was lovely she hide behind the maid again, now out of embarrassment than fear. The maid turn her dead to try and look behind to see the girl. "Now, now, Ms. Ashwood. You shouldn't be embarrassed over a compliment." Silvia tried to speak in the same comforting tone she heard her mistress use on her daughter many time.

When Ichiru got up to address her questions the maid turn her head back and her cold expression return. Actually she was now giving him a glare when he mention on getting an invite from a private source. "You got an invite for my mistress's party from a private source? Do you have this invite with you?" the maid question, her tone of voice just as icy as the look she was giving him. Ichiru would hear the sounds of clockwork now getting louder and increase in speed. The receptionists was more intrigued by the mystery the Anjinese presented than alarmed. "I believe what you have is urgent enough sense I'm sure she didn't make the invites private." the Lidia said. "If you have the invite with you I would like to show it to Ms. Ashwood."

As the two women talked with Ichiru the little girl peaked back out and after being quiet for a while would finally speak. "My mom isn't the mayor. She owns a company that makes stuff. But everyone still calls her the queen of the city because she is rich and powerful." Lidia look down at the girl with a smile. "And because everyone calls her a queen that makes you a little princess." the little girl once more hide behind the maid's skirt, once more from embarrassment. Silva turn her glare from Ichiru to Lidia who backed away in fear. "Oops, sorry." she clasped her hands together and raised them slightly above her head as she bow her head down. "Please forgive me!" the panicked woman shouted, more sounds of rapid turns of clockwork filling the formerly silent lobby.

The maid rolled her eyes. "I'll let this slide because you didn't mean any harm. Our little mistress here is just shy." the maid return her sight back to Ichiru. "Is there a particular reason why you were invited Mr. Hashimoto?" the maid would question as she cross her arms in front of her chest.

Ichiru smiled when the receptionist questioned his species. Half-elf. That is quite the new guess. "Oh no, don't worry, I've been called much worse in my lifetime. I am definitely Anjinese, however. That is all I can really quite say..." He then listened as Lidia spoke about the city and its construction. She used terms he did not quite understand. 'Vim', 'Vuk', 'Vis'...new minerals of which he had never heard, so it seemed. Or perhaps they were strange kinds of Magic, the strange kinds of Magic he felt from the two women and the little girl. Despite his confusion, he was a quick learner, and he stored the information in his mind as the receptionist told him about each mineral. One made materials stronger, one made them lighter. Perhaps together they created an alloy of sorts. Or maybe if they were kinds of Magic, then Magic-wielding spirits existed in this building and in others. Evil ones which caused the immense darkness of the city. Being a man of both science and 'superstition' was a strange place in which one could dwell, never quite knowing where the physical ends and the supernatural begins.

The maid turned her attention to him, however, and specifically to his invitation. He dreaded this question, but he decided to avoid further conflict. He took out the invitation, and he showed it to her. He guessed she would not be able to read the runes, but she would know it was an unusual invitation. "...I do not know specifically where it is from. It arrived in my room one day, and I tried to decipher it. However, it is not written in a language I recognize. All I understood was the address which was scribbled on the back. It said to find this place, 'Numina'. I do not wish to present myself as a threat, as I do not wish to harm any of you," he reasoned. He was being honest, as he had no idea how he had gotten this bizarre invite, or why it had pointed him to this accursed city full of darkness.

The little girl's voice piped into the conversation, and she mentioned her mother and her position. She was a corporate boss, someone with plenty of money. And she seemed to run the city, despite not being its official ruler. Money always rules in the background...I suppose some things never change over the centuries, where there's a power-vacuum money will surely seek to fill that space...money and violence. He smiled at the shy little girl, however, and chuckled. "I don't see any problems with complimenting her. She is a sweet child, and I am sure she loves her mother very much." He gave Lidia a kind glance as he noticed her fear, as if to reassure her that she had done nothing wrong. He did not understand why the maid had shown her such a cold glare, or why she had signaled that the sweet words were out-of-line. ...I wonder if she is afraid of the world...because she is so isolated from kindness...I would understand such a life quite well, if that is the case... he pondered. When the maid's eyes turned back to him, however, he gave her a blank, cool stare back and responded, "I do not know. I tried to read the invitation as well...and I had no luck. Just an address. Once again, I do not wish to present myself as a threat. But I would like to see Mrs. Ashwood when she is available."

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

Sibyl stayed out of the vocal knife fight between Venusta and Everton which was now reduced to a staring contest. With a tense and awkward atmosphere now being made from the two the half elf slowly plop another piece of hard candy in her mouth in a bid to calm her nerves, hoping that something would break the mood.

She was glad to see that the mood lighten somewhat when Everton told her not to feel too bad about taking the infusion. While it was nice that Everton changed the topic she still frown at the new topic he chose. "I guess you're right that for my human half taking an infusion makes sense despite the risks. Doesn't change the fact my parents and I had a huge argument over that nor the fact that I didn't get away from that experience unscathed." the half elf would mutter in a low volume. "My food bills pretty much attest to the cost of having elvan metabolism." she would stay quiet as she let the conversation carry on without her, the woman moving the candy around in her mouth.

When Everton whispered to her about the pendant she would reply back. "Best for me to have it now while we are away from Ashwood." the woman turned to the rest of the group. "I think I speak for everyone that now would be a good time to start shopping for new clothes." she told the group before beginning to chew on her piece of candy.

---

The receptionist didn't want to know what else the young man was called and quite frankly that wasn't even the most important thing about the man. When he produce the invite she and Silvia looked at the runic inscriptions that were penned in the piece of paper. The two woman couldn't understand a single word written but the two can feel that the runes had arcane significance.

As the Anjinese told them that he too had no idea where it came from and that he simply followed the one instruction that was clear to him the two women were suspicious about the odd situation Ichiru found himself in. "I will take this to Ms. Ashwood if you don't mind. I believe she needs to see this." Lidia said. Silvia shook her head. "No. I will do it. You stay in your post Lidia." the maid look down at the girl. "I'm sorry Ellie but I will have to go away for awhile. I promise to come back quickly." the maid saw the girl clinch tightly on her skirt when she heard that she was going to leave. The maid didn't want to leave the young girl's side but she had to let her mistress know about the letter, just encase this letter had ties to a would be rival planning something against her.

Silva so far did not suspect Ichiru to be involved in any nefarious plan, so far he seems to be the pawn of one if this letter is indeed related to some conspiracy against her mistress. The girl would give the maid the same eyes that a sad puppy would give to its owner. "You promise." the maid nodded as she gave her a smile. The maid look over to Lidia. "Lidia do you mind watching her for me?" the receptionists agreed to take over until Silvia returned. the maid walked back to the elevator with the letter, leaving behind the little girl who hugged her rabbit as she looked at Ichiru.

"You asked if I love my mommy, why do you think I won't?" she tilted her head slightly to the right, a puzzled look on her face. Before Ichiru can answer her first question the young girl would throw another at him. "Did you use infusions to change your appearance or did you change because of magic? My mom told me about people who changed when they use magic for a long time or how some want to change their appearance so much they take infusions. Is that also why your aura feels funny?" the young girl. Her curiosity overriding some of her shyness.

[Luminesa]

Lumina

Sibyl stayed out of the vocal knife fight between Venusta and Everton which was now reduced to a staring contest. With a tense and awkward atmosphere now being made from the two the half elf slowly plop another piece of hard candy in her mouth in a bid to calm her nerves, hoping that something would break the mood.

She was glad to see that the mood lighten somewhat when Everton told her not to feel too bad about taking the infusion. While it was nice that Everton changed the topic she still frown at the new topic he chose. "I guess you're right that for my human half taking an infusion makes sense despite the risks. Doesn't change the fact my parents and I had a huge argument over that nor the fact that I didn't get away from that experience unscathed." the half elf would mutter in a low volume. "My food bills pretty much attest to the cost of having elvan metabolism." she would stay quiet as she let the conversation carry on without her, the woman moving the candy around in her mouth.

When Everton whispered to her about the pendant she would reply back. "Best for me to have it now while we are away from Ashwood." the woman turned to the rest of the group. "I think I speak for everyone that now would be a good time to start shopping for new clothes." she told the group before beginning to chew on her piece of candy.

---

The receptionist didn't want to know what else the young man was called and quite frankly that wasn't even the most important thing about the man. When he produce the invite she and Silvia looked at the runic inscriptions that were penned in the piece of paper. The two woman couldn't understand a single word written but the two can feel that the runes had arcane significance.

As the Anjinese told them that he too had no idea where it came from and that he simply followed the one instruction that was clear to him the two women were suspicious about the odd situation Ichiru found himself in. "I will take this to Ms. Ashwood if you don't mind. I believe she needs to see this." Lidia said. Silvia shook her head. "No. I will do it. You stay in your post Lidia." the maid look down at the girl. "I'm sorry Ellie but I will have to go away for awhile. I promise to come back quickly." the maid saw the girl clinch tightly on her skirt when she heard that she was going to leave. The maid didn't want to leave the young girl's side but she had to let her mistress know about the letter, just encase this letter had ties to a would be rival planning something against her.

Silva so far did not suspect Ichiru to be involved in any nefarious plan, so far he seems to be the pawn of one if this letter is indeed related to some conspiracy against her mistress. The girl would give the maid the same eyes that a sad puppy would give to its owner. "You promise." the maid nodded as she gave her a smile. The maid look over to Lidia. "Lidia do you mind watching her for me?" the receptionists agreed to take over until Silvia returned. the maid walked back to the elevator with the letter, leaving behind the little girl who hugged her rabbit as she looked at Ichiru.

"You asked if I love my mommy, why do you think I won't?" she tilted her head slightly to the right, a puzzled look on her face. Before Ichiru can answer her first question the young girl would throw another at him. "Did you use infusions to change your appearance or did you change because of magic? My mom told me about people who changed when they use magic for a long time or how some want to change their appearance so much they take infusions. Is that also why your aura feels funny?" the young girl. Her curiosity overriding some of her shyness.

Neither of the women could read the message of the invitation. Ichiru almost wanted to give a sigh of relief, but he knew that he was far from finished. Ashwood very well could possibly know the runes, and then she would have more questions. Questions he would not know how to answer. Luckily, Lidia and Silva seemed to understand that he was caught in some sort of strange web of mystery, and they did not blame him too much for the moment. Silva, however, seemed constantly suspicious of everything. She was also quite commanding toward Lidia, and her tone of voice was cold and sharp. He did not know what to make of their relationship, but he knew that it seemed negative no matter what. Luckily, Silva left for some time, and he felt he could breathe again.

Now came the question of the little girl, whom he now knew was called Ellie. Being small, she did not like being away from familiar adults, and she probably was not comfortable being around a complete stranger like Ichiru. Nevertheless, he gave her a gentle smile, assuring her once again that he meant her no harm. She seemed to take his look, or at least his words, as an invitation to ask more questions, and as children are prone to do, she asked a flood of questions. He listened to them patiently, amused by her inquisitive nature. She of course did not know that his answers were not very cut and dry, and would be difficult for a small girl to understand.

Nevertheless, he attempted to answer her questions. "It's important for children to love their parents, just as it is important for parents to love their children. That love is what makes even the smallest, humblest building a home. You see...when I was growing-up, I had no mother. Only a father. He adopted me when I was a baby, because my adoptive parents had died. My father and I lived in a very small home, quite different from yours..." He nodded to the luxurious building around them. "We had a small living space, a small field of rice, and we lived in a tiny village outside of a large city. But we loved each other, and thus we were both happy. And now...he is gone. I miss him quite dearly." He understood that her world had never been besieged by poverty or insecurity, most likely, and so he was patient in telling her about his own life. "Therefore, it is always important to love your parents, especially when they are good to you and they make sure you are safe and loved. As for my funny appearance..."

He took off his glasses for a moment, letting her take a look at his unusual violet eyes. They glittered with quiet wisdom, as he was an elder speaking to a tiny child. A tapestry of history hid in his mind, and he remembered the many comments he received as a child for his strange appearance. 'The gods sent him to be our pestilence!' 'The child is barely human, look at the way he stares out toward the other villagers.' 'White hair, white like death...He is a harbinger, a warning from the gods...' He reminded himself that this little girl meant him no harm, but simply had never seen a man like him in her short life. "You see, you look the way you do because of your parents. You have some of your mother's looks, and some of your father's. Sometimes, however, you might have some features that are not from your parents, but from your grandparents. And sometimes, though this is quite rare...you might look entirely different from the people in your family. My adoptive parents, my father told me, had black hair and brown eyes. But I was born very different. I am what you might call an 'albino'. Which means that my hair, face, and eyes do not have much color at all. So this is simply the way I was born."

She also had questions about his Magic. He did not know whether or not to give specific answers about his abilities, as they would be a little different from what she knew. Still, he decided a small hint would not be a bad idea. "And as for my aura?...Well...I do use a kind of Magic, yes, just...a little differently than you do. As I grew-up, I discovered I could use...Magic...in a way that was a little uncommon." He snapped his fingers, and summoned a small orb of light for her to see. As long as he did not show too much else, he figured he was safe. "...Would you like to take a look?" he inquired, "It's light. You can even touch it if you want, it should not burn."

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

The little girl seem to feel somewhat better when he smiled at her as she gave him a small smile. When he told her why it was important for children and parents should love each other and giving her a small snippets of his past. "What happened to your first family and how did your new daddy find you? What was he like?" The small girl's smile was now a frown when she heard about how Ichiru lost his parents.

"I know mommy loves me but sometimes she spends so much time doing her work. She got even more busy when she made that company. Before she was doing what she can to make us live in a nice place. Back then we lived in a building with many small rooms because we didn't belong anywhere, we were new people in the city." The girl explained.

When Ichiru told her on his kids can get traits from their parents, grandparents, or sometimes traits neither family members had she gave him a smile. "Just like how I look like mommy!" She stood on the tips of her toes for a few seconds before bringing her feet down. "But I got daddy's eyes..." her joyful expression took a somber look as she look down in the floor. "I wish I can see daddy." Lidia was giving the girl a sympathetic frown as she knew that she had no father just like Ichiru now. The receptionist felt the subject should change now.

Thankfully Ichiru did just that but showing the girl his eyes. As two small green eyes look upon slightly larger violet ones the receptionist was wondering if the two was now a staring contest until Ellie spoke. "Your eyes are pretty." She said as she gave him a smile. "I also like your hair. But I thought albinos have red eyes?" The curious girl questioned. "Did you ever find any other people like you?"

When Ichiru showed her his magic she look at the orb with awe. She poked at it a few times and let out a chuckle as she saw her the orb reacted to the touch. "How do you do it? Can you change the color? Can you move it with your mind? Can you change its shape?" The excited asked as she let loose more questions. "You want to see my magic?" She asked, giving him a wide smile as she was close to bouncing with excitement.

[Luminesa]

Lumina

The little girl seem to feel somewhat better when he smiled at her as she gave him a small smile. When he told her why it was important for children and parents should love each other and giving her a small snippets of his past. "What happened to your first family and how did your new daddy find you? What was he like?" The small girl's smile was now a frown when she heard about how Ichiru lost his parents.

"I know mommy loves me but sometimes she spends so much time doing her work. She got even more busy when she made that company. Before she was doing what she can to make us live in a nice place. Back then we lived in a building with many small rooms because we didn't belong anywhere, we were new people in the city." The girl explained.

When Ichiru told her on his kids can get traits from their parents, grandparents, or sometimes traits neither family members had she gave him a smile. "Just like how I look like mommy!" She stood on the tips of her toes for a few seconds before bringing her feet down. "But I got daddy's eyes..." her joyful expression took a somber look as she look down in the floor. "I wish I can see daddy." Lidia was giving the girl a sympathetic frown as she knew that she had no father just like Ichiru now. The receptionist felt the subject should change now.

Thankfully Ichiru did just that but showing the girl his eyes. As two small green eyes look upon slightly larger violet ones the receptionist was wondering if the two was now a staring contest until Ellie spoke. "Your eyes are pretty." She said as she gave him a smile. "I also like your hair. But I thought albinos have red eyes?" The curious girl questioned. "Did you ever find any other people like you?"

When Ichiru showed her his magic she look at the orb with awe. She poked at it a few times and let out a chuckle as she saw her the orb reacted to the touch. "How do you do it? Can you change the color? Can you move it with your mind? Can you change its shape?" The excited asked as she let loose more questions. "You want to see my magic?" She asked, giving him a wide smile as she was close to bouncing with excitement.

The little girl was now excited, and so a deluge of more questions came for Ichiru to answer. He smiled sadly as she asked how his parents died, and about his father. “...My parents died of an illness of some sort. Some believed that it was a curse put upon them, but it may have been a fever of some sort. My father found me in an abandoned field, in a nearby village. He heard me crying, and he came and found me...He was a wonderful person. He was not wealthy or powerful. He made medicines with herbs and spices, and he healed people in our village. He...was quiet, he didn’t like to speak too much. But he always wanted me to be happy, and he protected me from...people who were unkind.”

He paused for a moment, allowing the orb to float in his hand. A distant memory came to mind of his father working late at night, making medicine for an ill mother and her child. How he peeled into the room to watch, even though he was supposed to be sleeping. How his father noticed him, smiled, and let him sit near him and watch him crush herbs with a wooden mortal and pestle. How he fell asleep watching, being little and feeling peaceful as the night moved forward. Hearing the girl mention her own humble beginnings brought him back to his present thoughts. “...That’s quite interesting. I imagine moving to such a large city was not easy for you or your mother. But she has worked hard so you could be happy, I am sure.” He felt for her when she mentioned that she could not see her father. He had more in common with the little girl than he had first thought. “...Maybe one day you’ll be able to see him...and he’ll be quite happy to see what a pretty little girl he has.”

He then answered her question about his eyes and hair, a little surprised at her compliments. He did not usually receive compliments for his appearance, but rather confused looks and stares. “Why thank you. It has been some time since someone has said I look pretty! Yes, albinos usually have red eyes, but mine are just a little different. As for finding others like myself...I do have a twin. But...he does not look like me. In fact, we are quite different. We were just born at the same time...even our Magic is different...”

When the little girl came and poked the orb, it glowed and released a slight heat. It was pleasant and not blinding, an egg-white color. She asked him if he could change its shape, and so he did. He made it into a star, and then a lamp, and then a small shield. “...Light has no shape, so it is easy to mold into almost anything. As long as I can picture the item in my mind. And it can take a solid form, it is not merely like sunlight. But it does not change color, not in this state.” He then put away his Magic, and nodded to her. “I would love to see your Magic. Please! Dazzle me with your skills, Miss Ashwood,” he urged.

[True Refuge]

Everton Tallow

"Very well," Everton replied. It took a moment to pull the pendant's chain over his head. He let its weight rest in the palm of his open right hand for a few more, before he grasped it by its gold chain. It'd be around his neck again before long. What would Blackstone make of it? If only he was sticking around to see any sparkling of envy or curiosity in her eyes when she took it to whatever safe place she was probably desperately searching for in her mind. That'd be a pleasure to watch. As the pendant swung lazily from his fingers, the gem at its center gleamed in the sunlight filling the square. "I trust I can rely on you to protect it in the meantime?" he said in a low mutter. The consequences of a wrong answer went unsaid.

He leaned over a little, looming over Blackstone's small frame, and dangled the pendant with a loose grip. In a moment, he was whispering in her ear again, words yet again inaudible as he dropped it into her hands. "Do not discuss any aspect of our case without my explicit permission." He laid a firm hand on her shoulder as he straightened up. "Good luck in your shopping, everyone," he said, back to normal volume and acknowledging each member of the team with short nods."Unless there's anything else needed of me here, I'll be seeing all of you at Ashwood Tower."

[Britanania]

Venusta

With their business at the square concluded, all that was left before their little heist was getting their outfits ready. Venusta already had the dress she intended to wear thought out, but the others clearly needed some help, especially, Venusta noted, the two who looked essentially homeless. Venusta also noted that Sibyl would need a new dress, so as she led the others back to Lumina's Fashion District she thought about how to dress them all accordingly for this plan to work.

Lumina's fashion district was not far from the Overlook Hotel where Venusta currently made her base of operations. Located on the south part of the city, the district was a bastion of shops, boutiques, and production facilities that made. Suffice it to say, this was a wealthy area and its patrons included the most powerful of Lumina's oligarchs. Venusta recalled when reading the dossier on the city, close to 40% of the world's textiles were produced here.

The Garment District's history of industry and the influx of new wealth was well reflected in its architecture. The wide avenue of its main streets was adorned with beautiful and imposing gothic structures where the main shops were while art deco skyscrapers represented the new offices. Once they arrived, Venusta gave a nod.

"Si, shall we start?"

[Naval Monte]

Lumina

The girl's excitement died down somewhat when Ichiru told her how his first parents perished. "Oh, sorry to hear about that." she said somberly. Her face perked up slightly when he mentioned how his adopted father found him and took care of him. "Your new daddy was a doctor? Did he used magic or he just used regular medicines. Mommy sometimes mixes magic with medicines whenever I'm sick or hurt." When he mention on his father wanting to protect him from unkind people the little girl eyes widen. "He did the same thing as well! My mummy also watches out for people who she thinks will hurt us, she still does it now. She said that she often had to be on guard for those sort of people back home."

The little girl was starting to think if maybe the strange man was probably from the same home land that both she and her mother came from. Should she ask him a question that only someone from back there would know? Her mother made it clear to never reveal to anyone where they come from, she told her that the truth would cause far too much trouble for them. As she ponder on whether to ask him the question or not the albino Anjinese would talk about how it wasn't easy for them to move in the city and how one day her father would be glad to see how she was. "You think I will see him one day?" she now looked at him with a glint of hope of possibly seeing her father.

"As for the city we lived in a big town that some people called a city, even though some parts of it felt like it was a farming town." When he mentioned that he never got people calling him pretty that made the girl confused, as well as the fact that his twin sibling doesn't look like him. "Why? How come no one ever called you pretty and how come your twin brother doesn't look like you and how can you have different magic but still be twins?" It was clear that the final part of his sentence was making the girl confused. The fact she found the different magic aspect confusing gave Ichuri a peak into some of the subject she was studying.

The girl's confused state would be replaced with wonder as the white egg orb turn into an ivory star before changing into other items. She heard what he said about his magic and she nodded, still spellbound by the magecraft. When he deactivated his magic the girl blinked and shook her head. When he asked for her to show off her magic she smiled. "I've been practicing this one when I saw mommy do something similar in her lab." The young girl would take our a few silver strings and left them in front of her face. She would close her eyes and begin to chant in an odd language that sounded almost like one of the many languages from Alba but it sounded different somehow.

The young girl would drop the strings and let them fall. As the strings gently fell down they would form at first a tiny dot of light that would flicker on and off but eventually the arcane light would emerge and it would cover the entire string in it. The strings would stop in mid air and begin to float up until it was above Ellie. From the strings came tendrils of arcane strings that wiggled in the air as they spread out from the original. The strings began to take into shape as they form into a sphere, but eventually that sphere soon began to morph into something else until as it open up to reveal that it was a set of wings connected to the body of a bird, a birds made of strings and arcane energy. From their chests came down the first strings that made them.

"Impressive aren't they?" she said with a smile. "They are familiars but I used aetheric energy instead of different body parts and items to create something. The strings act as a conduct for the energy and keeps the birds together." she explained. She waved her finger around like a conductor and the birds began to fly around. The two would hear the receptionists clapping at the display as the arcane birds perform different maneuvers.

Ellie was so absorbed by the show she was performing that she didn't hear the elevator coming down and Silvia returning. "What's going on here?" the maid asked as she placed the back of her hand on her left hips as she looked at Ichuri and Lidia. The girl stopped controlling the birds and looked at the maid, beaming with joy at seeing her. "I was showing Mr. Ichuri my magic! He showed me his and he wanted to see mines." Lidia joined in the conversation. "Yes. Ichuri was helping me on taking care of her." The maid looked at the two but simply let out a sigh.

"So long as she is safe I won't say whatever you did was adequate." her sight went back to Ichuri. "Mistress Ashwood wish to see you. As you have an invite you are allowed to attend her party." Silvia reached her hand down and seeing it Ellie went over and grabbed her hand. "I will return back with the little mistress with new supplies for the party. Make sure that no one else tries to enter in before we can allow guests to join in." Lidia nodded. "I hope you enjoy your time in the party Mr. Hashimoto." Ellie waved bye at him as she followed Silvia out the door, her familiars following the girl and maid.

---

When Everton finally gave the detective his pendant she let it rest on the palm of her head. She grabbed the golden chain and lift it up to see the pendant dangle in the air as she look at. The detective suspected that it was an amulet but right now she was only feeling it's magical vibration slightly, it was not yet enough for her to get an accurate feeling on the magic it possessed. She wonder if the pendant was linked with Everton's runic magic and it being away from him weaken it's magic or if maybe the magic was sealed because it was away from his runes? If it was sealed she still felt some small residual feeling of it. She couldn't quite put her finger on what she was feeling on it as the vibration was too minuscule to get a proper reading on it

As her eyes linger on the gem as it swung slowly due to a gust of air she heard Everton asking if she can keep it safe, knowing that there was a subtle threat on there being negative consequences should she fail on protecting it. "Don't worry I have a safe place for it." she told him as she jerked the chain up and clinch her fingers around the pendant. As she put her fingers back down on the fountain she would see Everton loom over him.

The half elf detective gulped in fear as he lean down over her, whispering to her not to say anything about the case. She nodded as she fought against the urge to shake in fear. When he let go off the detective and he walked away Sibyl took whatever was left in the bag, three pieces of candy, and shoved them into her mouth.

The detective was glad to follow Venusta to the fashion district of the city, it would help take her mind away from what happen back in the square. However during the walk she would feel the magic of the pendant that she chose to wear around her neck for the time being. The feeling was growing gradually the more she moved away from Everton but now that he was gone she had a good feeling of the pendant's powers.

She thought it was connected to his magic but the power she felt from it was different, oh so different. For starters she felt two different forms of magic within the pendant! The first one was incredibly odd. It felt as though it was link to everywhere and yet it linked to nowhere. The detective ponder if maybe she was sensing metamagic at work? The other type of magic feel as thought it was pointing to the north? Why? What is so significant over at the north? Why was there two entirely different forms of magic that go against the usual trend for items like this? She couldn't sense them being used for defense or to store a spell to be used for later, infact none of the two magics she can fathom? These questions would preoccupy her during the walk until they reached the district.

Once they reached the district the half elf looked around the district, gazing at the numerous shops, boutiques, and production facilities that made up the districts. This wasn't her first time in this district but Sibyl rarely went to this part of the city so even though this might be her fifth or sixth visit it still felt new to her. When Venusta asked if they should start she nodded. "Yes I think now we should begin."