Here we go. The first of a sequence of long-runners. For those of you who like beefy entries, have fun! For those of you who don't… suck it up already!
Enjoy…
The Central Exchange of the trade guild was located at the base of a large pillar, the interior of the support column hollowed out into an office of sorts. Rex was actually pretty sure that Melolo, the nopon manning the station, had a full on living space beyond the front counter. She did keep a shrine of some sort within view of the service window.
Rex was waiting off to the side of the exchange, leaning against the towering wall of goods and cargo that flanked either side of the pillar. Workers, both human and nopon, came and went throughout the storage space, moving crates and taking inventory. They made a point to ignore the young salvager as he held a hand to his chest, rehearsing an up and coming conversation in swift whispers.
Dromarch rested beside the boy, sitting upright and staring silently over the roving bands of personnel. Much like the nearby workers, he pointedly ignored Rex's not-so-subtle display.
A harsh clap reverberated throughout the area. A few passersby flinched at the sharp sound, the white tiger releasing a long sigh in response. Rex stood with both palms pressed against his cheeks, his face smooshed into a fish-like expression. None of the usual staff laughed, years of exposure numbing them to Rex's antics.
Dropping his arms halfway and balling his hands into fists, Rex let out a quick, "Okay, let's do this!" The sides of his face burned a vibrant red.
As Rex rounded the Central Exchange he came into view of the front desk. And laying nearly her entire frame across the main counter, one of her large ear-wings propping her somewhat upright, was the saffron furred Melolo. She appeared to have been awaiting their arrival… for some degree of time.
Rex suppressed an embarrassed stutter as he walked around with a perceived level of confidence. Melolo's free wing lifted the pink beret from her head, waving it over her mouth as she yawned. Dromarch snorted.
"Well, well" Melolo chirped, her stubby arms and much longer wing pushing her off the service desk, "was wonderin' if you planned on steppin' in. Almost had meself a good nappytime there, it's gettin' late after all."
Melolo hopped down to her tall stool, the ruffled bits of her pink garments bouncing at the motion. It was harder to tell with nopon eyes being mostly black pools, but Rex could see the fatigue there.
Sheepishly scratching the back of his head, Rex began, "Y-Yeah, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by." Dromarch plopped a paw over his face, his expression betrayed by a slight upturn of his lips.
The nopon clerk flattened her gaze. Melolo proceeded to just stare at the boy. The silence dragged on for an uncomfortable amount of time. Dromarch's grin grew larger by the second.
"So," Melolo brokered, "what is real reason?"
Rex threw his hands up before collapsing into a sulk. "We need work," he delivered, his tone defeated.
Melolo smirked as well as her cuddly mouth would allow. She ducked down beneath the counter, rummaging for a few seconds before pulling up a ringed binding of documents. Using her expressive wings, Melolo leafed through the papers.
"Salvaging not go too well," she asked whilst still looking over papers.
Rex was leaning over crossed arms atop the service window, peering at the ledger upside down. At Melolo's words, the blue clad diver let out a sigh, "Well, I guess it depends on how you define 'successful'."
"Monetarily lucrative?"
"No."
"In Melolo's house, call that 'failure'."
The unfortunate salvager dropped his head onto the front desk. "Thanks for the encouraging lesson, Melolo. I feel enlightened already."
The nopon looked up, smiling brightly, "Happy to assist."
Rex could feel tears gathering. Dromarch lifted his upper frame into the window, jostling his shipmate with one paw. He may have been a touch rougher than necessary.
As the boy and the tiger began a "friendly" slap fest, Melolo continued reviewing the ledger.
"You know," the nopon said idly, "if Rex bring up military supplies, could make pretty penny, not need do these milk runs so often."
The small scuffle ended right then. Dromarch's features soured, but the real sight was the look of flat sternness worn by Rex. The salvager simply stated, "I've told you before, I don't trade in weapons."
"If not you, someone else do. Rex just small drop in big ocean, do more harm to self than help to cause."
Rex shook his head, "No. I'm alright with working a little harder, I don't want to contribute to any more conflicts in the world, even just a little bit."
Melolo smiled as she leafed through the last few pages, "Littlepon with principles quite admirable, Aunty Corrine back in Fonsette be proud."
Now Dromarch's expression was downright agitated. Rex lowered his gaze to the countertop, his own annoyance showing. They knew Melolo enough to understand the things she said often had layered meanings. Bringing up the folks back in Fonsette right after talks about making money was as obvious as it comes. And it really wasn't appreciated.
"Any jobs?" Rex's tone was low and even.
If Melolo took any notice of the increasingly hostile atmosphere, it sure wasn't showing. She continued scanning over the last few entrees with her usual soft grin in place. Rex might have thought her ignorant of the worsening mood if she were anyone else.
The boy could visibly see the moment Melolo's spirits dampened, right as she got to the last couple lines of text. Dromarch saw it too and at once the pair turned from silently steaming to calmly disappointed. If Melolo was being that transparent, it meant bad news.
"Okay, have some work available."
Boy and Blade perked at the nopon's words, though her resigned tone was concerning. Dromarch raised one paw and gave it a beckoning twirl.
Melolo's wings grabbed both ends of the opened ledger, raising the binder of documents. Being a diminutive nopon, the spread "book" concealed the little lady entirely. Her next words came with a touch of irritation.
"Bad news is: job giver… difficult. You know where this going."
Rex crossed his arms over the service desk before taking a moment to plop his head onto them. "We're talkin' to Bobobo, eh?" Dromarch leaned all the way back, sight poised towards the ceiling, a lingering puff of breath drifting from his lips.
"You certainly are, boy!"
The blue clad lad hopped back at the very not-female voice coming from beyond the paper veil. Dromarch pitched further back, tumbling off his rest on the edge of the window.
Like a literal wall the collection of sheets slapped against the countertop with a terrific boom! The gust of air that swept out from impact was far stronger than it had any right to be, Rex and Dromarch recoiling at the force.
When the two looked back, a nopon stared back at them. A nopon who was not Melolo.
The creature's pelt was a deep bronze all throughout. It stood in stark contrast to the bright, golden hue of the spherical fro nestled atop the individual's head. The surprise nopon was maybe a size larger than Melolo, his saffron do' big enough for a littlepon to hide within.
Rex and Dromarch groaned as they met the newcomer's eyes. Or rather, the wide, triangular shades mounted over them. And just beneath that eyewear, extending from below his nostrils, was this puff ball's defining characteristic.
From the moment he first stepped into Argentum and salvaging work, Rex had been essentially immersed in nopon culture. Being that they were typically the leadership of these trade guilds, such an endeavor could be considered a "lifetime investment" of sorts. But even being well versed in the… unusual eccentricities of the little fuzz balls, nothing could ever prepare one for an interaction with Bobobo.
Nopon were weird little things, Bobobo was on a whole other level. The physical proof of this was the thin, black mustache extending to either side of his face, its length easily a match for his wingspan. Having a thin, curly stache – even one that matched neither his pelt or hair colors – wasn't the oddest thing…
Perhaps sensing the drop in mood – and feeling rather offended by it – Bobobo vaulted himself forward. He did not leap or flap forward with his wings… Bobobo's curly stache animated, its lengths slamming into the countertop and pulling him towards the boy and tiger.
Not having time to backpeddle properly, Rex found himself rooted in place, leaning back at a severe angle as the golden fro'd nopon leered into his personal space. Dromarch made to position himself behind Rex, ready to catch the boy when he fell over. But Bobobo already had the finger like feathers of one wing clenched over the top edge o the salvager's breast plate.
His round body was still precariously balanced atop his facial hair.
"Well then, child? You gonna speak or are we gonna have to learn sign language?"
At this Rex readjusted his footing, just in time for Bobobo to flick the armor piece out of his grasp. The bronze nopon hauled himself into a proper upright position on the desk. From the side of the pillar, Melolo waddled into view, both her arms and wings placed upon her "hips."
"Bo," she drawled, "what me say abo-"
"Bo-bobo."
Melolo gazed up at the reflective lenses of Bobobo's dark shades, her undaunted expression reflected right back at her. The golden fro'd nopon wore a clear frown, matching his opponent's stubbornness. Dromarch's sight shifted between the two as Rex, eyes closed, took a long, cleansing breath.
"Dummypon," Melolo amended, "what me say about line of sight gag?"
Bobobo ha-rumphed in a tiny show of defiance. This lasted for several seconds before the right line of his mustache retracted from somewhere behind him, a small sack filled with clinking "somethings" bound up in its length. The filled bag was simply plopped in Melolo's waiting paw, Bobobo's expression unchanging.
Seeing a chance to cut in, Rex raised an inquiring finger, "Ah, can I get in a word or two?"
The shades wearing fuzz ball twirled instantly to face the salvager. Rex dropped his arm as he scanned the literal river of tears charging down the nopon's cheeks, all the way down to his stubby legs. "Ugly cry" would have been too tame a descriptor, Bobobo's face was scrunched up to a state of near deformity.
Through body wracking sobs, the bronze nopon said, "O-Of c-c-course my young wa-ward… sniff, please, spe-peak freely!" The attempt at enthusiasm was truly sad.
"… Are you gonna be okay?"
Bobobo made some effort to wipe away his tears. Of course, he did so using his mustache… "Th-Think nothing of it. Merely a momentary sa… sacrifice, nothing more."
Dromarch was watching Melolo as her wings worked to untie the knot on the baggie. With it open, she reached inside and pinched out of single, smooth sphere about the size of a marble. The coloration was a wild storm of scarlet/orange hues mixed into a swirl design. Melolo observed the somewhat artful orb before plopping it into her mouth.
"No," Bobobo shrieked, an arm, a wing, and a length of stache reaching out in desperation, "my precious!"
To top things off, a sharp crunch issued from Melolo's shifting maw.
Rex squinted, quirking a brow as he asked, "Is that… rock candy?"
Dromarch was rather torn. Whilst Bobobo's overt dramatics warranted some degree of admonishment… he could certainly go for something sweet right now. Using her innate talents as a mind reader, Melolo plucked a cool colored candy from her bounty and tossed it to the Blade. Dromarch caught the treat in his mouth, giving a little hop of happiness that displayed no shame whatsoever.
Turning back to their possible job source, Rex primed himself with his "sincerest" offerings of condolence to Bobobo. The boy had to double take at the nopon's suddenly pristine state, the only evidence of his sorrow a few drops of liquid being flicked off the tip of his mustache.
"So," Bobobo asserted, "we gettin' to this or are you just wasting my time?"
Rex schooled his face into the flattest expression he could manage. It was never advisable to get drawn into the nopon's rhythm, a truth the boy had learned from years of exposure to Bobobo. He audibly inhaled, holding the breath a short moment, and released the air in a soft sigh.
"We're looking for wor-"
"Hold your horses boy! Business before pleasure!"
The golden brown wing thrust before his face, feathers spread like fingers, caused his eyes to widen. Rex refused to react beyond that, any overt response would just feed into the insanity. The wing retreated quickly, allowing Rex vision of the ongoing spectacle.
In his free wing, the fro'd nopon held a powdered donut. Rex did not question where the pastry ring had been kept until this point, that route lead to madness. One of Bobobo's stubby arms held a buttering knife. Its twin toted a jar of some dark, creamy substance. From its open lid, the young salvager detected the scent of fine chocolate.
With a casual flourish, Bobobo sliced a chunk of the dark delight from the glass, spreading the thick chocolate around the central ring of the donut. Not once during this did the nopon's gaze waver from Rex's face. At least he thought it didn't, the shades obscuring the puff ball's eyes and all.
Melolo was steadily popping her procured candies into her mouth as she watched the proceedings, an air of general unamusement shrouding her person. At this point only Dromarch, his own emotions typically muted, allowed a sense of frightened interest to show.
Whilst the gathered witnessed his chocolaty spread, Bobobo's other wing had produced an eclair. Its softly baked surface was adorned with a trail of vanilla frosting, wrapping around the thin treat from top to bottom in a tight spiral. A gap at the end of the pastry revealed its inner workings to be full of chocolate cream.
Dromarch smacked his lips. Rex couldn't help but agree with him. These sweets did look delicious. And considering it was Bobobo who had them, they could be pretty sure of the expert baker who supplied them. Yes, definitely delicious.
Without a trace of ceremony, Bobobo jabbed the eclair deep into the chocolate coated hole of the donut. The motion was so jarring Melolo dropped one of her candies, the hardened sweet tapping across the ground before Dromarch's paw slammed down on the fleeing sphere. The tiger paused, very much weighing the implications of his next choice of action.
Bobobo took a brief instance to regard his creation. More likely, he wished for all in attendance to regard his work. The moment was short lived as the shades wearing nopon pressed the chimeric pastry against his pursed lips. A deliberately slow pace was set as Bobobo pushed a single feather-finger against the back end of the eclair, sliding the concoction into his mouth with a small degree of resistance. Really, the whole thing just bordered on being suggestive -
A long, droning noise that could be likened to an armoo in torment rumbled from the bronze nopon's throat. He had slid enough of the pastry past his lips to reach the immense hurdle of the donut ring. At this point progress came to a crawl, the treat's wide circumference too much for his tiny mouth to handle.
At least for a little bit as his widening maw began to overtake the donut's edges…
Rex turned away from the explicit display. Dromarch had long since taken such action, though his motivation was to conceal his ultimate decision regarding his under-foot candy. Melolo continued snacking, not even blinking at the spectacle. She had known Bobobo far longer than Rex had.
An audible gulp signaled an end to the vulgar showcase, a rough smacking of lips sounding the final all clear.
"Oh, and before you say anything, I've got some work for you Rex."
A fierce glare snapped onto the stoic visage of Bobobo, Rex's patience hanging by a frayed thread. Dromarch's turn was considerably slower than his crewmate's, his features drawn into a less intense expression of stunned inquisition. He also gave a noticeable swallow… for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
Melolo popped another sweet into her mouth, flicking a second at her fellow nopon and pegging him in the forehead, just under his blonde afro. Bobobo showed no reaction.
"Go meet Pupunin in front of Bana's office. Needs to have a word with you."
At Pupunin's name, the young salvager turned to his tiger comrade, the two mirroring each other's surprise. "Pupunin works directly beneath the chairman," Dromarch stated, "do you suppose this could be a matter of significant importance?"
"Hmm," Rex crossed his arms, "can't say for sure, Pupunin's only really sought me out personally twice in all the time I've been here."
Melolo, her pouch of candies held aloft by its drawstring, waddled over, "Pu-pu have lofty opinions of self, likes to flex his weight. Meeting in front of Bana's office maybe just power play. Sometimes he do cause can. Maybe have job he want make sure Rex take. Whether Bana-na involved could go this way, that."
Rex nodded at his old friend's observation. The implicit "be careful" in her words was appreciated, though Rex already had his guard raised.
"Bobobo," Dromarch turned back towards the service desk, "do you kno-"
His sudden pause caught the attention of the other two. All three locked gazes on the now vacant counter of the Central Exchange. Only a few errant crumbs and a sprinkling of white powder remained to mark the nopon's former presence.
Dromarch voiced his confusion, "Where did he-"
Further question was halted by a long, hissing shush that shredded the area like sandpaper. The tiger Blade actually winced as he and the others looked towards the source of the coarse noise.
Bobobo was drifting by, held aloft on the shoulder of a muscular storage worker. To be exact, he was seated deep within the confines of a wooden crate the man was carrying. Most curious, the box only appeared adequately sized to hold Rex's diving helmet, half as big as it would need to be to house Bobobo's rounded bulk.
The nopon slowly sunk into the container regardless, his front up to his mouth disappearing in smooth fashion. He continued his extensive shushing throughout the process. By some absurd miracle the tanned man toting Bobobo's "carriage" seemed unaware of his cacophonous presence. Hell, most of the nearby workers ignored the nopon's existence in its entirety, less than half a dozen random passersby giving him more than a second glance. You could truly see the difference between Argentum regulars and those who were merely passing through.
Rex and company could only stare as Bobobo's lips and shaded eyes fell behind the edge of the open crate, the sound of his continuous hiss slightly muted. The golden orb of hair atop his head seemed to have finally pushed beyond the container's limits, Bobobo's downward progress stalling. This was when Rex noticed the nopon's wings reaching up around the sides of his afro, the hand like tips holding the lid of the box between them.
Unlike the gradual process of sinking into the box, Bobobo's wings slammed the cover down onto his fro with three, savage yanks. His ball of hair deformed with each impact before finally being pushed into the crate, a puff of golden strands drifting through the air. By now the worker carrying the nopon in a box was several meters away, watchful eyes tracking as he swung around a stack of barrels and disappeared into the scattered market stands.
Rex, Dromarch, and Melolo continued staring a good while after Bobobo had vanished from view. The pink clad nopon popped a candy she had kept in reserve into her mouth, rousing the boys back into awareness when she crunched the treat into fragments.
The boys wandered off, not a word spoken between them. Melolo shook her head slowly as she watched after them.
Even this late at night the market saw some bustle. Strings of dangling lights criss-crossed above the maze like collection of adjacent shops and stands. Smooth music could be heard over the moderate din of numerous conversations, the whole scene playing further into the night time atmosphere.
Nia whirled around a waiting patron for the drink shop she'd just vacated. The small clay mug in her hand held a single straw, the Gormotti girl slurping its end up into her mouth before taking a long draw. She held out her free arm, catching Kassandra just below her collar bone as the brunette Blade stumbled into frame, both palms clutching her own little cup in desperation.
The cat girl unleashed a satisfied breath as she pulled away from her straw, her ears flickering in joy. "Smooth, creamy, sweet. May be the cheapest drink they have, but you can't say The Twelve ever skimp on quality."
Wowed by Nia's appraisal, Kassandra glanced down at her own drink, the same as Nia's, before swiftly chomping down on its straw. One long sip drew a look of absolute pleasure across her features. Her happy little hum had Nia smirking.
With Kassandra lodged firmly into her happy place, the Gormotti girl grabbed up her arm to lead the way through the bazaar. A tall figure in a grey, hooded cloak spun around Nia as they passed, giving the cat eared Blade a wide berth. A collection of nopon at a textile stand were bouncing and twirling atop a pyramid of crates, singing about their miracle flying fabric. A rather unfortunate, rather obnoxious young man was being escorted out of a small novelties shop across the way, a very well built Urayan woman leading him along. The unfortunate part for the little prick was that his "handler" elected to lead him… by his little prick.
Kassandra couldn't seem to decide where to place her gaze. Nia pressed on with a brow raising roll of the eyes, just another pleasant stroll through Argentum.
"Oh my, there's so much going on even this late in the evening," Kassandra voiced her excitement. Her Gormotti guardian made sure to reaffirm her grip on the brunette's arm, finishing off her drink in short order.
"Most shops around here operate at all hours," Nia divulged, gesturing with her empty cup, "that's usually just how things are at trade hubs like this, specially one this size."
"Hmm," Kassandra nodded, "if cargo ships are constantly coming and going, between the guild staff managing them and the crewmen themselves, they've got a god supply of customers twenty-four seven. That's not even counting the permanent residents, people looking for specialty items, or travelers just passing through."
Nia skipped back as a pair of children dashed by, a boy with glasses carrying a stack of books and a girl in pigtails holding a jingling coin sack out in front of her like a guiding lantern. The swift pair twisted their way through pedestrians before pausing in front of an imposing Indoline woman perched on a tall stool with an open tome in hand. Her entire "stand" appeared to be literally made of literature, the bespectacled boy going to work adding to its foundation as the girl presented her coins to the pale woman.
A sharp "Eeep!" broke from Kassandra as she froze her walk cycle, her legs spread wide. A smaller than usual nopon – probably a child – with cyan fur charged straight into the bandaged Blade. At the last moment the tiny fuzz ball fell into a slide. His wings simultaneously shot up, launching a bound square of books nearly twice the kid's size up and over Kassandra's head.
The littlepon hopped out of his slide on the far side of the red eyed girl, just managing to catch his book square and keep hustling forward. A winded round of apologies were thrown back as the nopon approached the now scowling Indoline woman.
Kassandra stood still as a stone, her eyes locked on the clay mug she still carried. To be more accurate, she was staring at the vertical crack formed along the center of the cup. As if provoked by her viewing, the fracture abruptly worsened, the two halves of the clay container falling in on each other.
As luck would have it, the beverage itself had already been finished. Kassandra possessed a powerful thirst.
Having watched that small moment, the pale blue woman turned her sights on the young nopon giving his brow a long wipe as he dropped his book bundle. With fluid ease the lanky woman snapped her tome shut and used the thick spine to chop down onto the child's skull. She wasn't altogether sure exactly how her littlepon's actions had broken that mug, but it was probably his fault.
Nia ushered her fellow Blade onwards, the broken cup dropped to the floor and crushed underfoot. The pair took special care as they walked around a small gathering of people in uniform. Judging by the brown armor plates, face concealing masks, and spiked helmets, they were Ardainian troopers. Four stood at attention whilst one relayed marching orders, they were either getting ready to move out or retire for the evening.
Something peculiar caught Nia's attention. The stocky figure regarding the Ardainian soldiers wasn't too suspicious, not amongst the kinds of people who frequent the trade guild at any rate. Nia herself had been observing the small squad with a rather critical eye. What caught the cat girl was that familiar shade of slate grey, the same flowing cloak and hood combo from earlier. But just looking at the veiled figure showed it was not the vertically gifted person she had passed earlier. Two random strangers wearing the same get-up…
"Nia?"
Kassandra's voice stirred her fellow Blade, "Hmm? Yes?"
"You were very quiet for a moment there. And your face was quite intense." That said, Kassandra then scrunched up her own features into something partway between intense concentration and painful constipation. Nia… didn't think Kassandra was making fun of her.
"Sorry," the Gormotti shook her head, "just tryin' to keep a look out."
"Do the soldiers make you nervous?" Kassandra stepped back as another pair of brown suited troopers hurried past. When they presented themselves before their squad leader, he gave a moment of silence, then slammed their heads together.
Nia pulled the red eyed girl away, around the corner of a curtain covered stall. She made a point not to look back towards the cloaked observer.
The two Blades halted as they broke line of sight, momentarily drawing eyes from a nearby patron and shopkeeper. Kassandra glanced around, bewildered, as Nia leaned against and peeked around the closed stall's heavy curtain.
"Ardainian grunts won't bother you unless you give 'em a reason." Nia scanned where she saw the cloaked person lurking but the angle from here was pretty bad. "Did you see the guy in the hood though? He was watching them real close."
"Stone grey hood and cloak combo?"
That roused Nia, her ears perking. "Yeah," she started to turn, "you saw him too the-"
Kassandra had her arm raised, her pointer extended. The area ahead sat on top of a wide, raised platform. On that platform was a rounded table, and around that table were seated a group of individuals in grey hooded cloaks.
And all of them were now oriented towards the two Blades.
Nia snatched the brunette's outstretched arm, folding it to her side. The cat girl gave Kassandra a pointed look, one that clearly went over her head judging by her confused expression and rapid blinking. Nia suppressed a groan and turned towards the raised area, tugging the red eyed girl along as she strode forward.
The collection of concealed individuals watched their every move. Nia avoided lingering on them, but whenever her gaze "wandered" in their direction they had eyes locked on the two girls. Their focus was so intense Nia could feel it pressing against her skin.
Two short steps lead them up to the raised area. The platform itself ran the entire width of the guild, one of the massive bay doors resting on either side. Looking up revealed a massive cavity, stretching past the second level with the bottom of the third floor acting as the "ceiling" to the area. The lines of lit bulbs were more numerous here, multiple strings joining together at various chandeliers, each easily the size of one of the stalls below, that dangled low over foot traffic.
A plethora of high end shops formed an open lane running from entrance to entrance, the majority of establishments being food related. Unofficially, most knew this spot as Feast Street.
Nia and Kassandra navigated the sporadically placed tables and chairs that lines the lane. Even at night, Feast Street was by far one of the most popular areas in the trade guild, the two Blades having to steer through throngs of people.
The unyielding gaze of the cloaked figures continued to bore into them. A sweeping glance from the Gormotti girl saw an oddity amongst the group. Whilst five wore the familiar grey garbs, one sat dressed in a heavy, navy blue long jacket. A turquoise hat, its round brim wider than the width of his shoulders, covered the top half of his face. Nia could just make out a ridge of facial hair along his jaw and the pleased grin spread across his lips.
Kassandra's mask rattled lightly.
Nia grabbed the back of the girl's neck, forcing her to crouch down. The pair ducked beneath a long steel crate held between a duo of bulky, black-and-white Blades. The Gormotti man overseeing their efforts hollered at the two girls, earning a dismissive single finger salute from Nia. The cat eared Blade shifted her sights around a specific area of Feast Street, her eyes swiftly locking on their target.
"Where are we going, Nia?" Kassandra had barely gotten out the first word when the Gormotti girl dragged her away from the raging/confused worker and Blades. The density of the crowd increased as they marched forward, Nia foregoing subtlety and simply shouldering her way through bystanders. Kassandra threw out apologies left and right, though there were a few who took one look at the cat girl and walked away with a muted grimace.
When Nia stopped short, Kassandra, of course, crashed right into her. Like a stone tossed against a brick wall, the red eyed girl bounced off of Nia's solid frame. The only thing preventing Kassandra's sudden spill was her friend's strong grip on her upper arm.
"This is where we're going."
Following Nia's gaze, Kassandra looked up to the red and white striped awning of a large confectionery shop. A gold trimmed plate with the name Just Desserts written in flowing cursive proudly proclaimed itself to the world. The scents coming from the shop were nothing short of delectable, justifying the formerly large crowd. A proper line of about eight people stood between them and the service counter.
Nia cast a look back at the table of shady characters. Through the shifting foot traffic, she could make out the strange group.
They were still watching her...
The two Blades, mostly the Gormotti girl, sidestepped and promptly skipped the line. The young man in second reached out to stop the cat girl, earning him a painful chop to the wrist and a quick "Sorry" from Kassandra. First in line wisely stepped back as the pair passed, crossing their arms and ignoring the pathetic cries from behind them.
With a flat expression the matured woman manning the stall regarded the disruptive "patrons." Nia returned her unamused gaze with an equally intense look of "refusal to compromise." Wary of the exchange, Kassandra fixed on her trademark cheery smile.
"Is there some sort of disturbance out there?" Kassandra faulted for an instance at the surprisingly masculine voice coming from the backside of the shop.
"You better get out here boss," the cashier supplied without looking away, "cat came back."
There was a short clang of kitchenware from behind the barrier separating the front and back of house. A series of swift footfalls lead to the right side of the wall before a tall man rounded the corner.
A long pink apron adorned the man's front; it being the same style worn by the cashier and inscribed with the shop's name informed it as part of a uniform. But while the older woman dressed in a white button up and slacks beneath, the imposing man's lack of a top was very evident. He was a veritable tower of muscle, his physique just a tad beyond a "swimmer's build."
His tanned arms crossed over his chest, pulling the apron tight and further defining his substantial pectorals. Kassandra offered a low whistle as this further displayed the man's lack of an undershirt. And that lack of frontal cover proudly left his core crystal on display, the radiant blue gem cut in the wide shape of a spearhead and outlined in smooth silver.
The tanned Blade blinked his azure eyes once, his half lidded orbs in concordance with the tight line drawn across his lips. Nia took in the stance and scoffed, "This how we treat customers now, eh Gorg?"
Gorg blinked again. "I don't know if I'd consider you a… normal customer."
"Ah," chirped Nia, her tone saccharine sweet, "the premium experience! What kind of discount can we expect from our generous host?"
Against his better judgment, Gorg couldn't help but look away. His head swayed with soft chuckles, the motion shaking some loose, crimson strands that peeked out from beneath his fuchsia, shell shaped cap. The mature cashier rolled her eyes before ushering the next customer around the ongoing show.
As Gorg looked up, the rounded goggles perched on his brow glinted, reflecting the dangling chandeliers and light strings. "Always the bargain driver. You really do enjoy employing all of Rex's worst habits."
The grin that split Nia's face was obnoxious, sending the apron clad Blade into a hearty round of laughter. Kassandra looked between the two with mild confusion. Noting the brunette's back and forth action, Gorg directed his attention towards her.
"There's a new face. The cat drag you in?"
Kassandra flashed her brilliant smile, "Hello there! I'm Kassandra, Nia's fellow Blade."
"Heh, so you're Rex's fault then."
Nia caught the apron clad hunk with a swift straight to the gut. This managed to stagger Gorg, though his reaction seemed more surprised than wounded. He was still chuckling as he recovered, warding off Nia's follow up with extended arms.
"Okay, okay," Gorg laughed as he shuffled back, "Just poking fun a little, no need for such intensity."
The Gormotti girl stood pitched forward, fists clenched and arms at her sides, her gaze smoldering. Kassandra had both her hands on Nia's shoulders, beckoning the girl back into a proper upright position. The image added to Gorg's humor.
"Gotta say, you're coming across less like a sister and more like a mom there."
That comment got Nia standing straight again, Kassandra stepping back. The cat girl huffed and crossed her arms.
Gorg, refreshed, grinned back at her. "Nothing wrong with a maternal instinct. Gotta get that practice in for the future, right Nia?"
The fact the tanned Blade got close enough to nudge the girl with his elbow spoke volume of his confidence. Nia's cheeks surged scarlet as she, whilst pointedly looking away from the taller man, started flailing wildly in his general direction. Gorg dodged the flurry with ease.
"Ha-ha! No worries Nia, I'll be sure to keep my lips sealed when Rex is around."
"Shut up," Nia barked, advancing on Gorg with arms pinwheeling. Kassandra was ready to intervene, but spotting a grin on Nia's features halted her actions. And besides, Gorg was batting aside her blows with playful mirth.
The brunette Blade shook her head, smiling softly as she stepped back to retrieve a chair from a nearby table. A sharp whistle caught Kassandra's attention, her quick reflexes allowing her to catch the incoming object.
She sadly gripped the captured ball too tightly. The malleable orb of baked dough, the perfect size to fit within her palm, gushed red jelly all over her bandaged hand. Kassandra, her face blank, observed as the ruined pastry dripped its sticky remains through the space between her fingers. Her vision then settled evenly on the service desk of Just Desserts.
A customer was rambling out a veritable stream of an order. The mature woman manning the counter nodded along with his words, jotting down items on a small notepad with ridiculous speed. In spite of this, the clerk wasn't even looking at the rather rotund man making his rapid fire request. Her dull gaze was set on Kassandra, her free hand hovering over a modest box filled with little donut holes.
The two continued to stare, ruby red orbs meeting dull brown. A violet gleam flashed over Kassandra's eyes, vanishing almost instantly. Her mask began to vibrate, a low hum droning through the air.
Kassandra slowly reeled her stained hand up towards her mouth. In languid fashion, her tongue lapped up the mashed/jiggly remains of the small pastry in long strokes. Not once did she break eye contact with the cashier.
Gorg took hold of Nia's wrists, his long arms swinging her limbs in and out in grand, playful sweeps. The cat girl groaned at the absurd display, snatching her hands back with a swift pull. Gorg chortled through it all, allowing his arms to flop at his sides like limp noodles.
"I guess that's enough fun for now. You must be peckish, how about a treat or two? Penelope, put in-"
The athletic Blade stopped mid sentence as he caught the tail end of Kassandra's tongue play. And then there was his cashier, Penelope, jotting down that same storm of details with one hand and carefully lifting a jelly filled orb with the other.
Gorg snapped a finger in the stoic woman's direction. Penelope, gradually, responded with a drawn out blink of her eyes, a subtle nod accompanying the gesture. Their usual messages had been exchanged.
'Let's not go overboard on the free samples now.'
'Settle down boss, they're from my personal stash.'
Still looking at her boss, Penelope lobbed her donut hole at Kassandra. The brunette Blade shifted low and caught the powdery ball in her mouth.
The owner of Just Desserts turned to Nia, "Cream Orange Paratha, right?"
Gorg was moving before the Gormotti girl could respond. Nia's only protest was to blindly swipe at the baker's retreating back, her sight instead oriented towards Kassandra and Penelope's strange interaction.
More importantly, this position allowed Nia a periphery view of the seated group from earlier. They were still present and, though it was hard to gauge, still watching the two Blades.
"What are you doing," Nia voiced towards her crewmate, keeping up the pretense of easy conversation.
Kassandra hummed as she finished chewing her most recently captured donut hole. "Hmm? Just your everyday communication."
"… And what are you trying to communicate?"
"You know, just setting the tone."
It was odd for Nia to have her own words thrown back at her, particularly when she had no idea what she was looking at in relation to them. Penelope flicked a fast shot at Kassandra which the girl caught on the bridge of her nose, bumped straight overhead, and then caught in her teeth. She bit down too quickly, the half eaten treat spurting its sweet jelly over her lips and cheeks.
"Yeah, real good tone there." At Nia's words, Penelope cracked a smile.
A small package whapped Nia in the gut, forcing an "Ooomph" out of her. Gorg had come back around without her notice carrying a bundle of her favorites in folded wax paper. Nia caught the package with both hands as Gorg's own fell to his sides, her mounting delight stemmed as a key detail became apparent.
"This is cold. These aren't fresh."
Gorg stretched his arm over his head. "Baked 'em this morning, fresh enough for a freebie. Or," the tall Blade leaned in, switching to stretch the opposite arm, "can you actually pay for something right out the oven?"
Nia's failing composure said more than enough, the Gormotti girl slipping a rolled up paratha from its wrapping. The inside was filled with heavy cream, bits of fruit strewn throughout. Nia's smile brightened a little bit.
"Gorg."
The tanned baker perked at the cat girl's muted tone. She was making a small display of fiddling with her batch of wraps, her gaze cast downward still.
"The table five meters back, over my right shoulder, the guys with the grey cloaks. You notice them wanderin' here a bit?"
Gorg's head didn't budge, his eyes flicking with near imperceptible speed. Beyond that, his expression didn't change, not even when he began to speak, "I'd love to give you an answer, but there doesn't appear to be anyone back there."
That sent Nia whirling, stealth forgotten, spinning about to face the suspicious table. Not only were the veiled figures gone, they had all pushed in their chairs. How could they be both creepy and courteous?
Nia bit back the urge to look around for their signature color, turning back to Gorg. The towering man swept his own sight across the wide lane, grinning as though to greet potential customers. As his eyes came back to Nia, a small shake of the head showed he hadn't spotted anything in the crowd.
A stocky gent hauling a box a little bigger than his head stepped up next to the shop. He crouched low, placing his cargo down in front of Just Desserts, right beside the line of patrons, before marching away without a word.
The Gormotti girl took a long breath to calm her nerves. Getting worked up now would only put her in a worse situation. She couldn't afford the shortcoming, not when there was another she was responsible for.
A long glance at Kassandra revealed the brunette wiping the jelly facial off of her jaw. She was using another donut hole. When the round pastry was sufficiently saturated, the red eyed Blade popped the purple covered orb into her mouth.
Not missing a beat, Penelope tossed another donut hole at Kassandra, the action doing nothing to hinder her ability to collect her rambling customer's money. Snatching the arcing pastry, the brunette began dabbing at the remaining mess on her face, unconcerned with the numerous glances she was getting.
Nia was strangely enamored by the sight. A tiny bit of that was seeing such a cute girl committing such a sloppy display right out in the open. But what really caught Nia was the absolute lack of shame. Kassandra, she was beginning to understand, rolled with the punches a little too well and in the weirdest ways.
In the back of her mind, Nia cemented the thought that Kassandra could never be allowed to meet a certain nopon.
A hand tapped the Gormotti Blade's shoulder. On reflex, Nia reached out to grab Kassandra's arm, halting the girl as she was pressing her donut hole past her lips. She had cleaned up most of the jelly, her cheeks now dusted with splotches of powder.
Gorg, still touching Nia's shoulder, held his silent gaze on Kassandra for a good moment. The baker's free arm reached past the Gormotti girl, offering the red eyed Blade a proper tissue. Kassandra glared at the thing for several seconds, prompting Nia to take it in her place. Gorg snorted.
"Might be best if you stay close for right now. Doubt any thugs would try their luck in such a public place."
Nia hummed at that, wiping her sister Blade's face clean of powder. Kassandra's mask stopped trembling.
And then Gorg flexed, both arms bent high behind his head as he tightened his apron covered abdominals. "And also, I'm here!"
Nia laughed, the sound a little uneasy. "You can never resist saying too much, can you?"
A sudden "Here, here," popped out of Penelope. That was quickly parroted by several of the usual customers. Gorg thrusted a finger towards them, silencing the rabble.
Nia tugged on Kassandra's arm. "We need to go find Rex and Dromarch before anything else."
"They'll be with Pupunin, outside Bana's place."
The two girls jumped, their sight snapped onto the oddly placed crate sitting in front of the sweets shop. Gorg threw the box a certain look whilst Penelope showed no reaction whatsoever, their line of customers looking on with growing amusement.
The container rocked and Gorg slapped a palm over his face. Nia reoriented herself and took off at a swift march, Kassandra in tow. The brunette advanced whilst looking back at the scene. She gasped with childlike excitement as the top of the crate shot skyward, blasted open by what she could only describe as an explosion of blonde curls.
Nia broke into a jog. She had no need or desire to confirm exactly who had been lurking in that damned box. Her fear stricken mantra of "Kassandra must not meet him," played in endless repetition through her thoughts.
From their short distance away, the two Blades could hear the crowd burst into laughter as Gorg wailed, "Dammit Bo! We've talked about this!"
"Just being certain, Rex is Leftherian, yes?"
The boy in question cast a curious glance downwards, "Yeah, been so all my life."
Pupunin gazed up at Rex, his dark eyes gleaming in the pause that followed. The nopon salvager was of typical size for his people, his head coming up to about the boy's waist. His orange fur was mostly covered by the deep brown that made up the padded surface of his diving suit. A curious headpiece with a shining purple lens sat atop his scalp.
Though Rex, as a salvager himself, knew this was actually a headlamp, the comparison to a jewel encrusted band was readily apparent. Harking back to Melolo's words, Pupunin perhaps had some grandiose notions of his own importance.
Dromarch rested at Rex's side, his seated height towering over the nearby nopon.
"Very good," Pupunin popped, one of his darkly clad wings stretching out towards the scarlet door inlaid with winding bands of gold trim. "Should go see chairman. Bana is looking for Leftherian salvagers, sound like big job in the works. Could be big opportunity."
Rex started forward before Pupunin could finish, tapping the top of the fuzz ball's head. He really didn't need the upsale. Dromarch lingered a moment longer, staring down at Pupunin with a neutral expression. To his credit, the nopon salvager only flinched a little when the white tiger began to move.
The man standing beside Bana's office was cut like a statue, his muscular physique visible even through the layers of fine cloth making up his tux. His dark complexion and rounded shades added further to his intimidation factor, the ambient lighting of the guild gleaming off his eyewear and shaved scalp.
As boy and Blade approached, the silent sentry stepped closer towards the door frame. Smoothly, the guard reached his arm across the threshold before swinging the portal open with a casual heave.
Rex paused only long enough for Dromarch to catch up before walking through the entrance. He gave the sentry a short nod as they passed through the entrance into the private space.
A literal red carpet ran up the center of the long room, leading up a short few steps to an elevated area at the back of the space. On this platform was a grand wooden desk, various floral designs carved into its mahogany surface.
At either side of that luxurious furnishing stood some prime examples of eye candy. Really, that was the most succinct way to describe the pair of young ladies – one with long dark hair in a high ponytail, the other a short haired blonde, both scantily clad and sporting a luscious tan. Rex knew the pair officially served as Bana's aids. Unofficially… well, there were a lot of things said.
The long haired secretary on the left stepped forward as Rex and Dromarch started across the floor. Her sandalled feet struck the ground with solid thumps, hips swinging powerfully, her cobalt sarong whipping with every sway. Rex intently focused his gaze on the young woman's face, noting her sapphire eyes and full, red lips. Anything to distract himself from that lime bikini top and the wealth of cleavage it displayed.
She met the boy and Blade partway to the massive desk, presenting them forward with a sweeping gesture of the arm. Rex offered a nervous smile, earning a giggle from the girl and a whack to his rear from Dromarch's tail. Their tanned escort fell in two steps behind the pair.
Watching them throughout their advance, his muzzle an unreadable expression, was the chairman himself. Befitting his status as a larger than life figure, Bana was a giant by nopon standards, his height a match for Rex or Nia's. Bana's blue pelt was not exactly atypical among nopon, even adding in the tall, violet top knot perched upon his scalp. His wing like mustache, while well maintained, could never compare to Bobobo's. They did, however, play into the chairman's extravagant style.
Bana wore a monocle, a gold trimmed thing with a ruby lens that hid his right eye entirely. His wing ears were pricked and bound with numerous baubles, the largest of which being a pair of red gems bordered in gold and bound by chains near the ends of his wings. A sort of mauve smock, outlined in patterns of pink all along its length, covered his front. The white shirt and poofy, brown bottoms beneath appeared to be made of fine, intricate fabrics.
And, of course, both garments were trimmed in gold.
The chairman's one visible eye held on Rex and Dromarch. The silence stretched on, Bana allowing the two a moment to bask in his presence. His sight shifted to the woman standing behind Rex, an unspoken command issued. The blue clad salvager listened as their short term shadow strode to the left, posting up against a long wall beneath a rather indulgent portrait of Bana himself.
Bana's wings snatched up the straps of his smock, almost lifting himself into a proud, upright stance. "Good day," he spat, "as should know, I Bana. Chairman of Argentum Trade Guild."
Rex held back any verbal commentary, but he pointedly glanced at Bana's likeness hanging on the adjacent wall. The assistant below rolled her eyes, smiling in amusement. Dromarch's humor came out in a brief hum.
"Ahem," Bana checked his audience, "word from Pupunin is that Rex promising salvager, possessing of skills beyond years, yes?"
Opting for his usual habit of scratching the back of his head, Rex replied, "I mean… I don't want to be presumptuous-"
"Nonsense Master Rex," Dromarch piped up from the boy's side, "you are one of the hardest working young men I know. The fact that you have gained renown in your profession despite your age is proof enough of this." The boy fought back a blush and the short haired woman at Bana's left raised a hand to cover a laugh.
Bana hmphed. "Indeed. Bana have clients in need of challenging retrieval. They ask for small, elite team and prioritize divers from Leftheria. From sound of things, friend Rex is perfect fit."
Rex's face was scarlet at this point though his features were slowly schooling themselves. Dromarch sat up a bit straighter, rolling his shoulders. Both of them knew what "buttering-up" sounded like. They also knew it always preluded the "unfortunate complications" part of the discussion.
"Also, payment will be quite substantial on this venture. Advance of one hundred thousand G shall be given upon acceptance of job."
Boy and Blade turned to each other, eyes wide in disbelief. Rex straight up mouthed a frank "holy shit" which sent the short haired woman into a full on cackle.
Dromarch collected himself first, "Pardon my confusion chairman, but did you say-"
"One. Hundred. Thousand. Advance. If, of course, friends willing o take job."
It was tempting. Skies above, the offer was tempting. The advance alone would be more than Rex usually made in a full year. Corrine and the rest back in Fonsette would be sitting pretty for a good while on what he sent home. And the course correction of their personal finances was a prime motivator as well.
But if ever he had seen a red flag, that absurd mount – an advance, not even the full payout – was a flashing light with klaxon support. Rex hoped his nervousness wasn't playing on his face. And if it was, he hoped Bana mistook it for excitement.
"Are… are the clients here?"
Rex wasn't sure what prompted him to ask. Maybe seeing the ones who made the request would change his mind… or make it more obvious they should walk away. Dromarch cast his crewmate a long glance before nodding along.
Bana said nothing, waving his nearby assistant to the wall opposite the prized portrait. The short haired blonde stalked over to a set of double doors, her crimson skirt bouncing with every motion. She passed through the opening and stopped a ways into the next room, staring into an area out of view. The blonde bowed deeply before gesturing some unseen persons towards her.
The scantily clad secretary stepped back into Bana's office, resuming her post beside the chairman. But as much as her smooth belly and long legs were certainly eyes catchers, Rex found his attention shifted towards the new persons striding into the room.
A woman in a long white coat entered first, her dark eyes hard with a thinly veiled annoyance. If not for the obvious air of "fuck off" she projected, her soft peach features and flowing black hair would make her a real beauty.
The figure walking immediately in her wake stood and moved enough like a human. The extra pair of arms and white, chitinous hide covering his form said otherwise. A shining blue core crystal sat over his right pectoral, just visible behind a maroon robe that he wore over one shoulder, the base folded into an intricate wrap around his waist.
The white Blade's eyes, glowing the same cyan as his core, felt as though they were boring into Rex and Dromarch. The boy distracted himself by noting how his "hair" seemed to be a crop of pale tendrils about the length of a human palm.
As this duo moved opposite of Bana's workspace, the next entity sauntered towards the nopon and his assistant. In contrast to the first two, this man was garbed in ebony, a form fitting body suit highlighting his dense musculature. His eyes swept over the boy and tiger, a flash of amusement in his violet gaze. His hair was cut into short spikes, projecting an almost militant feel if not for how lax he carried himself.
And right on his heels came a literal demon. The man in black was a tall figure but the insectoid/reptilian Blade standing next to him would have dwarfed him if its stance wasn't so hunched, its legs having an extra, reverse joint. Its lithe form was covered in smooth, pitch plate outlined in edges of bright bronze.
Its teal eyes sat far on either side of its long skull, the scalp covered by a reflective black plate. The monstrous Blade attempted a smile towards Rex and Dromarch, its efforts thwarted by the sharp teeth and extra mandibles curling at the sides of its maw.
The final figure walked into the room, a man adorned in silver and white. Azure eyes stared out behind a steel-hued mask, its features sharp with a set of small horns placed over his brow. A thick mane of white hair fanned out from the man's head, the long lockes cascading down to the middle of his back. He held sharp, attractive features, his build only slightly less than his associate in black.
This fifth and final person seemed a little… more than the others. His very presence took command of the space, not unlike an apex predator stalking through its territory. This was greatly emphasized by the fact that he was the only person visibly armed, a lengthy, curved nodachi running his full height down his back.
The five stood in a row, staring down at Rex and Dromarch. The two maintained their silence, the big cat shifting to better cover Rex's flank. Having to deal with people taller than him was far from a new experience for the boy in blue. The apprehension he felt came from something instinctual, a sensation he doubted anyone but a Driver or Blade could truly understand.
These people… just didn't feel right.
The raven haired woman hitched a brow before breaking the standoff, "So this is supposed to be our expert?" As predicted, she was every bit as bitter and unenthused as he thought.
Surprisingly, it was the chairman who got riled up by this, "You doubt Bana's appraisal of his own subordinates?" The question came in low tones, the blonde assistant tensing her posture.
A round of breathy laughs came from the black clad brute and his inhuman Blade. The masked warrior turned on the lady in white.
"Patroka, stow the commentary." Like a slighted teen she crossed her arms and looked off towards the ceiling. Rex thought he heard her mumbling about how she had better places to be.
"So," the white haired swordsman moved to address Rex, "there's something we need hauled up. The tide has shifted it some and now it's sitting a long ways down at the bottom of a chasm."
Rex nodded along with the details, summoning some confidence, "Sounds interesting. Can't say I'm shy about a challenge."
"Hmph," the short haired man huffed, "somebody's cocky. Should make for good entertainment if nothing else." His Blade growled in agreement… well, far as Rex could tell.
Patroka snapped around on her amused associates, "For the kind of money we're handing off, I expect more than attitude and sideshow theatrics. Could have bullied Akhos along if I wanted that."
Now Rex was getting annoyed. "Hey, you think you're better off on your own, be my guest. I'm sure you know all about how to calibrate the depth probe. And it shouldn't be that hard to figure out appropriate anchor points for the ballasts, you know, so whatever you're bringing up doesn't fracture under tension?"
A lot happened all at once.
The woman in white stomped forth with one of her long boots. She only made it one step when her pale Blade reached forward, catching both of her shoulders with his two left hands. The four armed figure looked like it was straining to hold her in place.
Dromarch stepped slightly ahead of Rex, sinking down into a more "ready" stance. His azure gaze was most focused on Patroka, but he kept the others in his sight.
Bana had started doing some paperwork on his desk while the details of the job were being discussed. When Rex got through with his little rant, the immense nopon punctuated the exchange by slamming his stamp onto some documents. The tiny smirk Bana wore showed that he'd both been paying attention and was rather pleased by the boy's outburst.
The tanned secretaries mirrored their boss' mirth.
"I second Malos' thoughts." Attentions swept to the black plated Blade, Rex was honestly amazed it could talk. "This boy is a wealth of entertainment!" His dark haired Driver, Malos, stilled the monstrous being with a flat look.
The white haired man stepped forward, putting himself between his angry comrade and the pair they were looking to hire. "You do seem to have some knowledge, how's your martial skill?"
Rex forgot about Patroka almost immediately, his slanted eyes locked on the masked swordsman. Though he kept his arms relaxed and at his sides, white mane had just openly challenged him. The more this meeting went on, the more Rex wanted to bail on this job. If Bana wasn't the one mediating, he'd have been tempted to make a run for it.
"Not too sure I'm up to the kind of scrap you guys are used to, what with you being Drivers and all." The boy dodged the client's gaze, scratching his cheek, anything to sell what he was saying.
It took one long glance for the young salvager to realize his error, one drawn out sweep from himself to the white tiger half crouching right beside him. He forgot that he'd come into the meeting with a Blade as his partner.
There was a muffled yelp from behind the boy and Blade. A solid thunk drew all eyes towards the entrance to Bana's office, this revealing to Rex that the door had been shut behind them. The chairman nodded to the long haired woman leaning against the wall and she began striding towards the red portal.
Rex, Dromarch, and the assistant rocked back as the threshold was blasted inwards, the two humans slammed to their backs from sheer force. Bana raised a wing over his face but otherwise only quirked a brow in response. He hadn't even let go of his personal stamp. His nearby attendant raced up to the desk, reaching for something within its confines.
A stampede of heavy footfalls charged into the room. As Rex rolled off his back and onto his rear, he caught sight of the numerous figures flooding through the entryway.
Grey cloaks fluttered, settling over now stilled frames. The attached hoods were pulled far forward, obscuring most facial details. Padded uniforms were revealed beneath, covering each individual from chin to heels. Thick brown boots and coarse gloves garbed their extremities, the latter of which clutched around a variety of curved projectile weapons.
Weapons which were, unanimously, aimed at every non-cloaked person in the room.
The white haired man reached for the handle behind his head, the movement absurdly fast. It just wasn't quick enough to beat the second group of men in padded armor who stepped through the double doors from the room behind him. The center most gunman caught the swordsman just as his fingers grasped the hilt, thrusting the barrel of his gun into the back of his skull. The odd whirring sound from the pistol gave the masked man pause.
"Not today boy. You put that hand down now, nice and slow."
The speaker's voice was distorted, though clearly male. Each of the cloaked figures wore a rather ornate re-breather of sorts: white piping that ran past their mouths before sweeping along their necks and over their shoulders, the surfaces marked by sparse lines of metallic gold. Looking closer, the same piping could be seen along their limbs and torsos in various places.
Lowering his hand, the masked warrior cast his gaze over the intruders by the main entrance. Including those behind him, he counted maybe a dozen in the room. As his arm touched his side, the gun's muzzle left his skull. He didn't think for a second that his captor wasn't still aiming at him.
Eight men stood by the office door, six in the room proper with two standing just beyond the door frame. Rex watched the two outside as they stepped back, making some room. He noted the silence, now broken only by the sharp click of heels tapping lazily across the wood flooring of the trade guild.
When the figure walked into the threshold, they did not come alone. Even from behind, Rex recognized the powerful build of Bana's doorman. The bald figure was struggling, his feet off the ground and his legs kicking slowly with what little energy they could muster. His hands appeared to be grappling with something around his neck, weak gurgles sounding out in protest.
The red carpet absorbed the continued click-clack of continued footsteps. What drew Rex and Dromarch instead were the brief glimpses they had of polished white shoes through the guard's flailing legs.
They felt their blood run cold at the familiar thin profile and sharp tips of the advancing footwear.
A similar whir to the one from the pistol surged throughout the room. It grew uncomfortably loud in seconds before a great burst pelted their ears. Bana's tuxedo bound doorman was launched to the far wall of the office, the nopon's secretary dragging her boss to the side as the limp body rocketed over his desk.
Bana tsked, more annoyed by the scattering paper than the large man now embedded in the back wall of his workspace. No one spared a glance in the guard's direction, not when the one who'd sent him flying pulled ahead of the other gunmen.
A navy blue long coat draped over his wiry frame. Though the left sleeve covered his arm to the wrist, the right was torn clear just above the elbow. The limb reaching out was a bundled mass of white tubes and cords marked by trailing lines of gold, not dissimilar to the re-breather pipes worn by the uniformed intruders. The tight, winding aesthetic at least resembled the muscle structure of a human arm.
Sliding, interlocking segments made for functional fingers. A small open port in the palm, the rim edged in thick gold, released some final wisps of steam, the inner workings darkening from red hot to a black void.
The man in the long jacket shook his mechanical limb as a manic grin grew on his features. In his fleshy left hand he held a tall pole, the base a sharpened pyramid. A long hammer jutted out from the top, the other end counterbalanced by a softly curving pick.
His white arm raised high, clinking fingers seizing the brim of his wide, turquoise hat. Tipping it back revealed jade eyes and a bulbous, hook shaped nose.
"Well, well, well," the stranger began, "lookey what I found! I know you haven't forgotten about me."
Bana and his associates, the client group included, expressed various levels of perplexed. The only ones not showing some confusion were the two standing just in front of white arm.
Rex and Dromarch were angry, their heat barely kept in check. For them, they weren't looking at a stranger.
"Saturn," Rex seethed, Dromarch growling in accordance. Utterance of his name made Saturn's smile grow, the light of madness dancing in his eyes.
Alright, let's try to get through this in order.
Melolo here kind of serves as a"less benevolent" trickster mentor to Rex. She does wish the best for him but she doesn't coddle him on what she feels are "faulty/unhelpful" world views and never forgets that their relationship is largely a working one. As such she rarely censors herself in front of him and is quick to make "flanking criticisms" when the need arises. She's not a despicable person… just a slightly unscrupulous one.
Bobobo. Is there really more that needs to be said? Anyone who survived the wild west of afternoon Toonami all those years ago is sure to have… vivid memories. Refreshed myself by marathoning the first twenty or so episodes and… holy shit, people…
The vast majority of people in the trade guild hardly pay him any mind at all. Like Rex and, especially, Melolo, Argentum regulars know not to get drawn into Bo's rhythm and they're largely numb from overexposure. Compare Nia who's been in Rex's crew for a year and refuses the mere presence of Bobobo.
There's more to this odd nopon that gets hinted at throughout the chapter, but we'll get more into that when the time comes. He's a tertiary character but we will be seeing more of him before the plot inevitably moves forward. Be afraid…
I always imagine that the places we see in game are actually much bigger on a "realistic" scale than are depicted during gameplay. Kind of like how you have games like Spider-man(PS4) and the Grand Theft Auto series that depict real cities but slightly scaled down so the player isn't spending half an hour trying to navigate them. When you think about how titans are meant to be stand in for entire continents in this world but we can jog from the shoulder to the tail of the Gormotti titan's body in like five minutes…
That all said, I wanna play up just how BIG these locations really are. Last chapter when that titan from the game's opening splashes down upon it's death, it causes an actual tsunami that surges out for quite some distance. Argentum's bay doors, of which there are many, are each large enough to drive a full scale house through. And of course, with more space comes a need to fill it, hence an original area like Feast Street.
Just Desserts and Gorg.
There are a lot of Blades in this game. I'd love to use the vast majority of them, but them main cast is going to be bloated after this first "arc" alone and that's without getting all of our canon Drivers and their Blades in place. So characters like Gorg are going to fill in as side elements here and there. I knew for the first visit to Argentum that I wanted to have one "free" Unique Blade and since I added Feast Street as a locale, his inclusion was a no-brainer. He also just has a great attitude and aesthetic, acting as the annoying older uncle to Nia and rocking the chest hugging pink apron. Much like Bobobo, we'll be seeing a bit more of him before moving on.
That whole bit with Kassandra and Penelope is just another example of what happens when I get stuck while writing. I tend to just do something random to push the words out and keep going, with this being the end result. Kassandra in game is pretty go with the flow and that's ramped up a ways here. It's part of why she never sees herself as being unlucky: even when bad things do happen, she adapts and re-directs. Unfortunate circumstances happen around her with such frequency that she barely even bats an eye at the oddest situations. Not an ounce of shame to be had.
The meeting in Bana's office…
Rex is a bit more apprehensive of this right from the get go. Having Nia and Dromarch around in general, in addition to having to deal with their "ongoing situation," is sure to have drilled a fair degree of street smarts into the boy. But he's still being called in by his guild's leader and so he can't just outright refuse the proposal. Not until he's gotten the scope of things.
Rex, as a Driver, can "sense" the odd nature of the Torna members. I don't think that's in any way something that exists in canon, but we'll be exploring the interplay of Drivers and Blades a bit more in a latter arc.
Patroka takes up Nia's place in the formation since… well, since Nia's not a Torna member in this telling. Was debating between her and Akhos for this segment (Mikhail just seemed… a little too much to include in the same chapter as Bobobo) and ultimately decided her hair trigger temper would work better in this dynamic. It's similar enough to Nia's own sassiness, albeit more mean spirited.
The Grey cloaks and Saturn…
We've had these guys in and out of focus throughout the chapter and right at the end they make their big move. And Rex and Dromarch most certainly recognize their leader.
So this is the part where we wildly veer off from canon. These are our bad guys for the upcoming arc, this independent faction that boasts strange technology and a rather insane "leader." Get hyped friends. For the next few chapters, you're gonna see just how badly I overindulged on my action scenes. Hope you can handle a little chaos.
In the next update: Saturn and his people zealously divulge their purpose and the opening stages of a mass melee commence.
