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A Simple Break-in for Minor Commercial Gain (Alize)

Started by Eckhart_Von_Musel, November 18, 2016, 03:04:45 PM

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Alize

Unable to shake the feeling of eyes staring at the back of her head, Kino stepped forward and took point. This hallway was identical to the last, with a moss-green carpet and flickering emerald lamps.

A whorehouse? No, that wasn't quite right. Hildegarde's attire - while revealing enough - was quite unlike that of any streetwalker that Kino had ever see. It was more akin to something that belonged in a bored and decadent noble's costume ball. Yeah, that was it. One of those Connlaothian affairs where the ladies would all try to outdo each other with the most garish gowns and decadent dresses possible, like frumpy pink peacocks.

Kino guffawed at the image - Hildegarde Von Musel's head on a pink peacock's body, bobbing her head back and forth as she waddle-strutted around a ballroom. Classic.

"Pffft. Ahem. That's nonsense. I quite like your outfit. It's... distinguished. If the old fart can't see that, then his lack of fashion sense is but one more reason he deserves what's coming." She hoped she sounded sincere.

A few paces in, Kino paused to scatter more banyan. She reckoned she had enough bark to get the party to the end of the hallway, then they'd be at the mercy of the addled thaumaturge's demented tricks and traps. She hoped that the damned fool's laboratory was close.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Hildegarde jumped down the trapdoor, landing gracefully on her feet. She smiled, though it couldn't be called a happy expression. "Oh my god, I know. Like, get with it gramps." The woman let out an annoyed huff. "Old people really bug me sometimes..."

As Griselda jumped down the trapdoor behind them, the gang leader watched the man with mild interest. "So tell me," she said. "Where do you get that dusty stuff? Your supplier, I mean."

Alize

"I'm my own supplier, if you will. Harvest 'an refine it m'self." She sprinkled a scant amount, then stepped forward.

"Far too many sketchy sumbitches out there these days, right?" Another tiny handful, another few steps. And another handful. "A lone operator like me can't afford to risk buying first-rate product from a third-rate supplier." The alchemist was about to step forwards when the banyan illuminated a series of glowing green runes engraved into a plank of floorboard. She held up her hand in warning.

"Then again, I s'ppose it'd be different for someone in your position." Kino bent down, and suddenly a dagger was in her hand where a moment before it had been empty. "You must have all sorts of trusted suppliers and dealers and lab techies, eh?" She worked the blade into the crack between hardwood planks, and began to pry the runed plank loose.

As she worked, she wondered. Just exactly what sort of setup did the charming, quirky and dangerous crimelord have? What would it be like to work for her? And would it be worth it for Kino to risk ending up like poor Dirge, carelessly sent off to her death without so much as an eyelash batted by her boss? She chewed her lower lip in thought.

Perhaps things would be different if Kino was a proven, valuable asset and not just another muscled body to send into the meatgrinder. Perhaps.

The floorboard popped loose, and the alchemist carefully lifted it aside.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Hildegarde watched the man work, gently swaying side to side as if she was dancing to music only she could hear. "Nah!" she said cheerily. "My narcotics person grows all our stuff herself, same as you!" The gang leader bounced on her heels. "It's much more efficient, really cuts down on the- what the fuck?!"

Averax stared up at the intruders from beneath the floorboard, sneering. "You really think I didn't know?" he growled as he seemed to grow out of the floor like an oversized plant. "I bound my soul to this house decades ago- I can feel it as if it were my own body."

The elf wore green robes, a green hat, green everything- even his skin looked green. The point of his wizard hat ended in what looked like a large yellow flower. Hildegarde took a step back, eyes wide. "Holy shit, that is tacky..." 

"You're in no place to be giving fashion advice, Pinky." the sorceror snarled angrily. "Though that gaudy dress would make a nice trophy..." The rest of the flooboards began to sprout branches that would attempt to ensnare the burglers...

Alize

"Fashion..."

Kino kicked her foot loose from an ensnaring branch.

"Can..."

She severed a lashing vine with a two-handed knife thrust.

"Wait!"

She shifted her center of mass, sidestepping a surging mass of foliage.

Careful footwork and well-placed bladestrokes kept the alchemist half a step ahead of the writhing plantlife, but just barely. She looked over to see how her companions were fairing, when Kino caught sight of Averax's yellow flower.

The sunflower in the elf's hand had begun to spin and swirl, letting loose a volley of ochre petals that sliced through the air towards the intruders. Averax cackled with glee.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Hildegarde lept out of the way of the branches as they sprouted, helium lifting her well above their grasp. "Shit." she thought, eye twitching. "He has us trapped."

Looking down, she saw Kino trying his best to keep out of reach, barely succeeding. Griselda hadn't fared as well, and the Yorieqi woman struggled to break free of the plants that had ensnared her. Averax cackled madly, sending a wave of flower petals at his opponents with a flick of his wand. More branches reached up to grab Hildegarde, one scraping her ankle as she rose higher to avoid them. "No!" the gang leader thought in a panic. "We can't loose like this! I'm stronger than him, I'm in control-"

And just like that, it was over. The branches stopped moving, their leaves beginning to wilt. The petals fell to the floor, a yellow splotch on the green carpet. Averax had gone limp, looking very much like a dead plant being propped up by garden stakes. He throat had been slit, and a sickly green liquid was running down his neck and staining his clothes. Landing gracefully, Hildegarde saw Terrence poke his head out from behind the wizard's body. "I snuck behind him while he was talking." he said, his voice sounding almost like static. "I hope that's alright..."

Alize

"Woah. Holy shit. One of yours?"

Kino nodded her beak at the unimposing little man, then produced a rag, took a deep breath and unclasped her mask. A strand of lank hair clung to her forehead as she carefully wiped away all the sap, chlorophyll and sticky plant-mush that caked the faceplate. She refastened it and began to breathe again.

"Woah. What's with that look?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Hildegarde took a deep breath, shoulders relaxing. She gave the boy a goofy smile. "Hero of the hour again, huh Terry?" she asked, stepping forward to ruffle the teenager's hair. "Way to go, kiddo!"

Terrence blushed, clearly flustered. He would go on to mumble something that Hildegarde would laugh at, but the rest of the room would only hear a faint buzzing sound. Assuming Kino didn't keep her eyes plastered on him, the boy would seemingly fade into the background.

Grinning triumphantly, Hildegarde turned to face the others- and then she paused. For the brefest of moments she could see Kino's face, and...

Well, it wasn't what she expected to say the least. "A girl? For how long?" she thought, mouth thinning in embarressment. "Sweet Ansgar, now I feel like an idiot..."

Shaking her head, she would attempt to regain her composure. "Well! That settles that!" she said happily. "Are we all okay? No major injuries?"

Griselda shook her head and gave a thumbs up, and Hildegarde looked at Kino expectantly...

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