Kharrighan Loreley: Protection~

She hadn't meant to make the reporter uncomfortable or throw him out of his rhythm, she just was used to knowing the name of the person that she was talking to was all. Biting her lower lip and slowly releasing it, she said in a calm voice, basically telling him that it was okay, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fred." She noticed that not as many reporters talked to her after that, and she was slightly relieved, but she didn't want to make anyone's jobs difficult. While hoping that Fred didn't get into any trouble for his hesitation, she listened in on Land's confident answers.

As the reporters walked away, Kharrighan sighed in relief, and her posture relaxed a little bit: she found socializing in larger groups to be more stressful and taxing than the fighting that she did on the zeppelin's observation deck. She looked up when the police office walked over and was wondering if she had done something wrong: that's the usual reaction for her mostly because the government wasn't normally a big fan of gypsies if they're not in their homeland. Then she heard what he said. "The emperor?" She blinked for a moment. 'Offering protection?' She blinked and just breathed while her mind raced. Then after a half a minute, she relaxed and looked at Land. She couldn't just say no to protection when it was offered so generously, but at the same time, she was suspicious of it and wanted to see what Land would make of it.

The mention of a banquet made her ears perk up and she frowned slightly. And there...she knew it had been coming. The 'especially your girlfriend over there' really was to be expected: she was a gypsy. She pinked a little bit at the term while at the same time frowning, since it wasn't true, even though it was used in a slightly derogatory manner. She wouldn't start anything over such a comment, she could take words a-plenty, but in general, she would not just stand there and take a hit unless it was to protect something that she cared about. She turned her head to Land and asked, "So what now?" She wasn't quite sure what to think of the whole situation. She knew that she wanted to find a place to stay for the night, and she didn't get a chance to ask about how they would be 'protecting/watching' them, so she was a little tense and confused at the moment. She ran a hand through her hair as she waited for a response: it was a therapeutic and relaxing gesture that helped her calm down and think, hopefully she'd get something out of it.

_________________
Doctress Who-CURSE YOU AKAINE AND FENIX. *Shakes fist*
Musicmac-INNUENDO... STRIKE!
Innuendo Squad Leader
Dare to join?

-Jeggred Nalaar-

Jeggred listened intently to Isaak as he answered the first question seemingly truthfully. Even if he hadn't, at least Jeggred had a name to call him now. The second answer was just what he was hoping for, the truth. 'An Emapth huh? What a coincidence.' he thought, slowly realeasing the grip on his gun. Jeggred had never met an Empath before, but he heard they were capable of finding out almost anything. He chuckled at the bit when Issak mentioned his aura was unforgetable, he seemed to have that effect on people.

However, Jeggred's mood changed back to serious when he asked if he was a criminal. 'My my, they're better than I was told.' he thought before responding. "A criminal? Who me? I'm a merchant Mr. Hue, or would you prefer I call you Issak?" he asked friendly to the man, before finally pulling out his other hand out his pocket and resting it on the table with the other hand. "Though I will admit I do bend the rules occasionally. But what business owner doesn't?" he said with a smile. 'Sat down to lunch with an investigator. Not one of my brighter moves was it?' he thought before continuing. "If you don't mind me asking, why were you in the Axial Corridoor anyway. If you're an investigator, shouldn't you have been with the rest of us in the passenger cabin?"

_________________
Fenix13 : Cheesemore if you get any more awesome this thread is gonna explo- WHAT THE FFFUUUUUUUUUUU- *Everybody dies*
BeeAre : i'm just going to go ahead and say it: this thread is cheesemore's thread now. like. he's officially spam's last post crusader, always seeking the last post like a knight looking for the holy grail. poor bastard. godspeed you goofy motherfucker.
JesusChrist : 16. Cheesemore should always be addressed as "fucking Cheesemore" because he's so pathetic [see: Last one to post thread]
SoulScavenger : Cheesemore, your avatar is awesome. That is all.
Akaine : Cheesemore...if this was facebook, I'd approve of your comment with clicking 'like'.
sam4books : Cheesemore earns an awesome point.

-Nitori Hydrelend: To the Hotel? Fuck I'm confuzzled...-

"Treasure...like crown jewels or gold bars in the millions?" Nitori absent mindedly said as she awed at the city. This was just like she imagined except the pictures were lacking in scale. She walked next to Leon, her short stature a direct contrast to her companions and the large backpack that rustled with every step.

"I'm thinking food...should we get some food before we starve? Hotel then food?" she said as they walked.

_________________
- Join the HUMP LEGION. Leading the Humping and Bumping since time began...*humpa humpa humpa* -

Note to self. Pg541

-Xavier Arkit-

-Before Timeskip-

Xavier looked between the two who had just defeated the pirate and scoffed, "Fine, do what you will, I'm staying here." he added, sitting back down into his seat on the airship. He removed a small mechanical device, somewhat resembling a gun, and began to tinker with it.

-After Timeskip-

As the airship docked and the journalists flooded around Leon, Xavier pushed his way through the crowd. Mumbling quietly to himself as he walked, turning the small gun around in his hand. He was not paying attention to where he was walking, causing him to bump into various people as he made his way through the city. He did not stop to look where he was until he was deep in the city, and rather lost.

"Damnation," he muttered quietly to himself as he turned in a circle, looking for a map of any kind. Soon he began to ask people on the streets where he could find the hotel. His temper began to wear thin rather quickly as he walked the streets aimlessly asking anyone he could for directions.

_________________

----Meka: Maj's Place----

While remaining unconvinced, Isaak was willing to look over Jeggred's possible criminality for. It wasn't that important anyways, not when he had a mission to perform. "Yes, Isaak's fine" he said. When asked the next question, he shook his head, "Why take the risk? If I bought a ticket they would've had a higher chance of tracking me. I should know. And besides..." he added with a slight smile, "I wouldn't get as much information from the passengers than I would from the crew members. You see, I am an investigator, but I don't work for the business you think I work for. Not anymore at least." Isaak paused, looking around the cafe`, just in case, before saying in a low voice, "Have you ever heard of a group of revolutionists who call themselves the Sulumbry?"


----Meka: The Mekian Tribune, Company Building----

The secretary looked up from her book, a dull look in her eyes from too much time spent behind the counter. She regarded the newcomer silently and coldly, already bored by her appearance. She didn't seem interested at all. "Another hopeful huh?" The secretary studied Alimbur's card, for what seemed to be hours. It was as if she could not make up her mind whether she wanted to help the newcomer or go back to her reading. Finally she sighed, handing Alimbur back the card. "Mr. Flavus is in his office" she told Alimbur, pointing lazily towards the hall that led to the editors' offices. "Good luck..." The way she said it made it sound like Alimbur wouldn't last a minute in there, let alone a second. One of the many phones next to her gave a rang, to which the secretary quickly attended to with the speed of a hummingbird. "Mekian Tribune, how may I help you?" Alimbur would notice that the secretary's voice has changed to become slightly more professional sounding, although it same had that sort of accent that made it sound as if she was speaking through her nose. The secretary waved Alimbur off impatiently, "I'm sorry but Mr. Flavus is busy right now" she said into the mouthpiece.

----Meka: The Dark Side of Town----

No one answered Xavier's request for directions, a great majority of them cast him annoyed glances before continuing on their way. It seemed everyone had some place to go. And as Xavier kept walking he would notice that the people became shadier and shadier, and the streets were becoming dirtier and narrower. The buildings had grown into intimidating giants with cracked windows and graffiti all over the walls. The smell of smoke hung deeply in the air. A mouse that sneaked into the city while aboard an airship would steal a piece of bread, long abandoned. A stray cat once owned by the rich would hiss at him ferociously. The barkings of dogs would come out of nowhere at times, only to disappear as if they were never there. He would have passed a couple of dead birds during his walk through the dark side of the city. And every block or so, there would be a figure standing on the sidelines. They wore their hats so that the brims covered their faces, and kept their collars up. All of them had their hands in their pockets as if concealing something, their faces kept downwards, moving to and fro and a swift yet silent manner. There were also figures sitting next to boxes, a lost look in their eyes, they would have begged him for money with wailing voices. Scrapheaps of metal were searched by lone scavengers, hopeful that they would have found something to sell.

Indeed he was lost. And the people who he asked for directions in this area gave him looks that could kill, as if warning him not to ask them again. Some people were even amused. "Hey, buddy" signaled a voice coming from the corner of a street deprived of any other human but he. The street had a single lampstand, which looked as if no one had lit it for months. There stood a man dressed in a black trench coat and a black trilby hat that hid the man's face under it's brim. The man walked up to Xavier slowly, "You say you're looking for a map of the city?"

_________________

Musicmac: "Sam4Books: Always ready to cheer things up with awesome art. Terms and Conditions apply."

-Xavier-

With each citizen that refused to help him Xavier grew more and more agitated. He soon found himself grumbling angrily to himself and sliding his arms back into his cloak. As the man walked he looked as if he had no arms as he continued to ask. His hand closed tightly around his spellbook and his teeth began to grind as he descended deeper into the dark side of the city. "These ignorant boobs!" he exclaimed quietly to himself as a couple shot him a murderous stare, "Is such a query so insufferable? I only wish for some bloody directions!" Xavier's eyes began to dart around rapidly, growing increasingly paranoid as the darkness of the alley began to enclose around him.

When the stranger spoke Xavier looked at him with great suspicion, narrowing his eyes at the black clad man. "Yes, a map would be ideal, stranger," Xavier said as he clutched the gun-like device in his hands as well has his spellbook in the other. "But I also have a few questions now, what is wrong with the people who lurk in these parts of this city, why do they give me stares as if I am asking a taboo?"

_________________

-Jeggred Nalaar-

Jeggred studied the man carefully, it seems as though he misjudged Isaak. After he mentioned he was an investigator, Jeggred's mine shifted into protection mode. But after talks of 'tracking him' and not working 'for the business he thought he worked for'. He almost felt the need to apologize, almost. However he continued to listen to the man, even to the point of the Sulumbry. Jeggred thought about the name for a moment, it seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember why, after a short pause he answered. "I recall the name only right now. And Isaak, you claim to not work for who I'm thinking of? Do you work for the Sulumbry then? And why was it so important to know if I was a criminal or not then? Are you perhaps recruiting?" he asked with a smirk. Jeggred had no intrest for revolutions or any of the like, unless they needed something, which in that case he's be more than happy to oblidge.

_________________
Fenix13 : Cheesemore if you get any more awesome this thread is gonna explo- WHAT THE FFFUUUUUUUUUUU- *Everybody dies*
BeeAre : i'm just going to go ahead and say it: this thread is cheesemore's thread now. like. he's officially spam's last post crusader, always seeking the last post like a knight looking for the holy grail. poor bastard. godspeed you goofy motherfucker.
JesusChrist : 16. Cheesemore should always be addressed as "fucking Cheesemore" because he's so pathetic [see: Last one to post thread]
SoulScavenger : Cheesemore, your avatar is awesome. That is all.
Akaine : Cheesemore...if this was facebook, I'd approve of your comment with clicking 'like'.
sam4books : Cheesemore earns an awesome point.

-Financial District, Meka Tribune Company Building: “Meet the New Boss Same as the Old Boss”-

Alimbur merely stood and smiled as the secretary examined Rodanna’s card. “A little hope never hurts.” She said with a grin. “But right now I won’t need it.” She shrugged. “You can stall all you want lady I’m not going anywhere. I’m getting paid for my photos at the very least.” While the secretary did her thing Alimbur recalled the stories the Tribune was running in the day’s paper. It was some pretty run of the mill stuff if she did say so herself; police reports, disappearances, street brawls as well as ads and the like. There was nothing overtly patriotic, but then again there wasn’t anything overtly political either. It was a bit disappointing. Politics was her specialty after all, but it couldn’t be helped.

What really caught her eye were the pieces about the Sulumbry. There were some people Alimbur would be more than thrilled to meet. The Sulumbry were dedicated to taking down and exposing the threat of the Machine to the world. They only dealt in the most shadowy of shadowy corners and took the utmost care not to reveal themselves. Rumors of their activities were spread far and wide, and even Alimbur had trouble separating fact from fiction. They didn’t make the papers much in Faelee, but her contacts occasionally sent word of their purported doings. If there were any back home, Alimbur had not been able to sniff them out. Ultimately though, they would be here in Mek.

When the secretary was done Alimbur happily took the resident reporter’s card back and once again placed it in her pocket. “Won’t need luck either, but thanks anyway.” Alimbur waved to the secretary as she made for the hall to the editors offices. Reaching the one that belonged to Mr. Flavius the reporter rapped on the door several times before letting herself in. “Mr. Flavius I presume. It’s nice to meet you.” Alimbur said introducing herself, with a twinkle in her eye and an air of professionalism. She offered the man a friendly handshake before sitting down. “My name is Alimbur Sang, fresh off the pirate airship that landed down at the docks. I was told that the Tribune would be willing to pay top dollar for the exclusive in flight photos. One of your own sent me here, Ms Rodanna.” Once again Alimbur produced the woman’s card to be examined. “She has a keen eye for these things you know.” She nodded, ending her introduction there.

{Leon Borren}


Pistons rise and slam, with thundering echoes. Blood drips from Leon's blood soaked hands. Gears clank and clunk as they spin and twist together. A devilish smirk appears on Leon's face as he led his group down a slide walk. Smog from the factories smokestacks engulf the sky. Citizens of Mek, make room for the trio, not out of kindness, but fear. A man with scars on his face and bloody hands and an orc with battle axe, who wouldn't step aside. They probably thought they kidnapped that poor engineer behind them.

" The hotel, from what I heard has an excellent Mek cuisine." Leon replied to his hungry cohort. " Besides, we're now figures of attention so I have a feeling we'll be watched for sometime." He said, reminding them of the investigators and reporters. " What I know, I wish to share with you two, but here is not the place for it." He then, slid his right hand across a nearby leaving a long bloody mark. With a skip and a hop, Leon went over to a lamp post and spun around it. " Ah, there it. Hotel, Ahoy!" Roy exclaimed, he was giddy as a school girl. His pace quicken as his strolled turn into a race. " Come on, let's hurry!" Leon shouted.


To look at Leon now, it was a wonder who was the real Leon. From mysterious to murderous to now merry. The man has several sides to his character. Leon stepped into the luxury hotel with a loud clap. Splattering some of the blood on the door and the nearby walls. However, before the owner had time to dismiss and be disgusted of Leon's actions, Leon cut off to introduce himself " Hello, my good man, I'm Leon Borren. I mailed a head about renting the entire 13th floor. " The owner sudden change of heart, didn't surprise Leon. " Now, I like to order some room service for 1307, three of your finest 8 course meals, if you don't mind." Leon went to say, to satisfy his hungry, hungry, engineer.

Inside room 1307, Leon plopped down on a nearby couch. As they waited for their meal, Leon with a smirk finally began to talk about his long waited discovery. " Gentleman and Lady, I must say, yet again, I struck gold." Leon said and then went on to explain what he means about it. "Its said there is a city made out of crystalline material. And that, inside said city, are crystals that could possibly grant immortality and maybe rip realty apart."

" Now that's not important, what is, is that those crystals, naturally, are worth more than what Mek has in it's treasury." Leon mention " And it gets better, the legendary tradeship known as the Plethora, is the only ship that knows the route to get to this city and only three individuals knows the Plethora's next stop is. One being our friend the captain of the Sahana, any questions?"

_________________
"Fate smiles on the strange. So its a good thing, I'm the strangest of all." - William Livingstone, Cirque de la Nuit

----Meka: Maj's Place----

"We don't tell people to join our cause. We inform them." Isaak said, answering Jeggred's first and last questions. The expression he wore hinted that this was now a matter of business, as he lowered has voice in a soft tone. "Fact of the matter is we prefer to work with criminals than law-abiding citizens, because a criminal has no love for the emperor, nor the Machine." He was referring to Mek, of course. "They provide us information and technology, we provide them weapons and money." That was really all there is to it. A possible business arrangement, he did not expect Jeggred to agree to it, but the opportunity was there. "Why do you think the black market exists?"

----Meka: The Dark Side of Town----

"Oh my, you are lost aren't you?" asked the stranger, looking quite amused with the well dressed fellow. He did not wait for an answer. "People here don't like being bothered ya see...and with you parading around in that outfit they'd think you're trying to land them in the pen." He then started circling the man, like a canine would circle his prey. Xavier would notice pale freckled skin, or light blonde hair underneath the hat. His mouth was thin, and neatly pulled back in a knowing yet "friendly" smile. One would have the impression of a man standing in front of a bar counter, debating whether he should buy a beer or not. "But there's no need to worry." A black arm wrapped itself around Xavier's shoulders. "I'll choose to look pass your, hm, status for say..." A slight, chilling pause, with the options being weighed inside the stranger's head "Thirty-three talors."

----Meka: The Mekian Tribune, Company Building----

Mr. Flavius regarded her coldly, a smoking pipe was pursed between his firm lips, letting out smoke that formed rings in the air. He did not look entirely pleased by her appearance. There was a permanent frown etched onto his face, underneath a thick, dark brown moustache. He was already starting to grey at the sides. "Rodanna sent you huh?" he looked the card over, recognizing it immediately as one of his own. He then extended a hand out in front of him, outstretched and expectant. "The photos." The editor in chief had hardly any time to talk so it seemed, getting directly to the point of the meeting.

_________________

Musicmac: "Sam4Books: Always ready to cheer things up with awesome art. Terms and Conditions apply."

-Nitori Hydrelend: In Hotel Room:Yay its nom nom times!-

"Mek Cusine...don't know what to think about that..." Nitori mused as she followed Leon into the hotel.

The interior of the hotel room was spacious and very nice. Not at nice as her old home as far as she can remember but it was close enough. Dropping her heavy backpack on the floor with a thud, Nitori sprang towards the windows to survey the scene. With Leon already ordering food and his companion waiting next to him, Nitori took the opportunity to liberate the nearest counter of its glass cups to grab a well deserved drink of water.

"Gentleman and Lady, I must say, yet again, I struck gold. Its said there is a city made out of crystalline material. And that, inside said city, are crystals that could possibly grant immortality and maybe rip realty apart."

The word "crystals" and "rip reality apart" registered in her mind as she stared into view. Something slowly ticked and Nitori turned to Leon as he finished his little announcement.

"When do we go then?"

_________________
- Join the HUMP LEGION. Leading the Humping and Bumping since time began...*humpa humpa humpa* -

Note to self. Pg541

-Jeggred Nalaar-

Jeggred's full attention was on Isaak as his tone took a serious and more business like turn. Finally they were getting to the real reason why he singled him out, brought him to this back alley shop, and asked him if he was a criminal. This man was a Sulumbry, and he was offering a business proposal it seemed. Technology and information for weapons and money. It's as if Issak knew the best things in the world to tempt Jeggred, how could he refuse? And then he asked a simple question, that really had no simple answer. Why does the black market exist?

Jeggred looked as though he was thinking for about a split second, and spoke. "An interesting question. Could have many right answers." he said as he looked back at him, and a smile appeared, the seemed chaotic in nature. "For me, it's a great place to sell anything that someone doesn't want you to sell. There's always buyers for illegal products." he said finishing his answer. Jeggred had taken the bait, not that it took a hell of a lot of trying to. Jeggred was all ears to Isaak's proposition, though he was still wondering where their food was in all this.

_________________
Fenix13 : Cheesemore if you get any more awesome this thread is gonna explo- WHAT THE FFFUUUUUUUUUUU- *Everybody dies*
BeeAre : i'm just going to go ahead and say it: this thread is cheesemore's thread now. like. he's officially spam's last post crusader, always seeking the last post like a knight looking for the holy grail. poor bastard. godspeed you goofy motherfucker.
JesusChrist : 16. Cheesemore should always be addressed as "fucking Cheesemore" because he's so pathetic [see: Last one to post thread]
SoulScavenger : Cheesemore, your avatar is awesome. That is all.
Akaine : Cheesemore...if this was facebook, I'd approve of your comment with clicking 'like'.
sam4books : Cheesemore earns an awesome point.

[Radia Stelan Evanres, Mekian Touchdown]

Sneaking out of the cargo hold during the commotion, Radia made his way towards the interior of the flying city, no particular destination in mind. He just wanted to vacate the general area before the authorities had the mind to question the Sophyian, or more pressingly check his ticket. No sense in getting himself arrested within his first five minutes of visiting the city...

A discontent sound emanated from within Radia's stomach as he walked; he hadn't eaten since prior to his flight. The young man did not eat much, but his last meal was particularly lacking, seeing as he had to cut it short to catch his preferred airship. The Sophyian jingled his 'coin sack' to verify his funds; he could tell by the sound that there was barely enough for a beverage in there, let alone actual food. (Provided Mekian prices were reasonable.) Maybe if he hadn't left such a huge tip for that pretty little waitress... Radia sighed aloud in defeat. Guess there was nothing to do but explore for now, at least until an opportunity presented itself.

-Financial District, Meka Tribune Company Building: “Where Flattery Will Get You”-

Mr. Flavious was a busy man, and an impatient one at that. Alimbur had been expecting the man to put up a bit of a fight and jerk her around. All she got was the man’s deep frown and an outstretched hand waiting expectantly for a set of photos. “Apparently Rodanna carries more weight around here than I thought.” Alimbur pursed her lips. What she had was film, not photos. It was close but not exactly what he wanted. She had the sinking feeling that he wouldn’t accept close.

“What I have sir” Alimbur paused for a moment and pulled a canister of film out of her pocket and held it up for display. “is this.” She placed it into the man’s waiting hand and looked him right in the eye. “When I said I was fresh off the pirate ship I really meant it. Rodanna said not to be late, so I didn’t waste any time.” The reporter shrugged, then relaxed a bit and sat back in her chair. “Everything you want is right there. All that need be done is have it developed. Better done in house than elsewhere where their might be prying eyes and sticky fingers, if I may be so bold.” Alimbur was smiling confidently once more. What she neglected to tell Flavius was that when the Sohana went down, it took all her supplies with it. Otherwise she would have taken care of it herself. The last thing she wanted to give the man a sob story. Development would have to be done one way or another. Better to let him think that she was cautious and had faith in the paper rather than trying to earn his pity.

-Mork-

Following behind Leon and Nitori, Mork kept silent while they walked through the streets, trying to get an idea of the streets and buildings here. Know your terrain. Same thing as they walked in, mostly keeping the large, silent bodyguard thing going while people were watching. Once inside, after a quick check of the room, Mork sat down. As usual everything was built to Man-Kin size, but he had been forced to deal with such rooms plenty of times before. Awaiting his food, Mork listened in to his employer's words. Thinking on the matter, he waited a bit before speaking up. "Hard to believe, though it would explain some of Mek's wonders. If that is true, though..." He thought on the matter for a bit longer. He'd have to tell someone about this. "What exactly are our plans about these crystals?"

_________________

----Meka: Maj's Place----

"An excellent response" nodded the investigator. He set down his drink, the waitress coming in from the front. He waved her down, "Over here!" She seemed lost somehow, the way she walked. But she dutifully came over and served them two bowls hot to the touch. Their appearances were hidden by covers, which had a narrow opening at top to let out small amounts of steam and allow the pair to smell the meal just right. The dishes themselves had wave-live patterns painted on them, blue water in spirals upon a pearly whit surface. And that was more then enough. Next to the bowls she placed napkins that matched the china, and silver spoons and forks. On the other side she placed two new cups, filled with what seemed to be green tinted tea. Isaak looked up at her, "Ma'am-" "Maj insists, sir" she suggested, cutting him off but respectfully. Isaak quieted himself, letting the waitress take away his tea.

She later came back handing them a basket full of freshly baked rolls before heading back to the front so she could help the old man up to work. But before she went away Isaak managed to stall her for a bit, "Ma'am what's your name by any chance?" he asked. The waitress looked at him oddly, hesitant, "Ima...sir." "No need to call me 'sir' ma'am. Here..." he took out a silver coin with the image of Naveen Tinker engraved on it and handed it to Ima. "Take this. They say a coin is worth more than the paper. Buy yourself a nice hat, that bandanna does not fit you." "But s-" Isaak cut her off before she could finish uttering that word, "And send Maj my regards, this food smells wonderful." Ima looked at him quizzingly, then looked at Jeggred, pausing to stare into his eyes wonderingly. She did this, and finally went back to Maj, clutching onto the silver coin, uncertain.

Isaak lifted the cover of his bowl and breathed in the soup's fumes. What laid before him was mixture of fish, little clams, shrimp, lobsters, and diced squid rings with diced tomatoes and seasoning. The liquid looked that rich, creamy sort of yellow that looked heavenly inviting. Isaak took up a fork and began poking at the shrimp. "Anyways, what you've said is exactly why I want you to see if you can gather something for me. As you know, Meka is not only a gigantic city, but a flying machine. And the thing with machines is that they have certain spots in them that are flawed and the designers are specifically make it so that you don't find out what the flaw and where the flaw is. In order to expose the flaw and incinerate the machinery, one needs to find the original schematics. I think you know where I'm going with this...." He took a sip from the cup of tea, wincing as his tongue acknowledges that it is hot. Licking his lips a bit he continues, "If you could do this we will provide you with whatever you require in return. All we ask is that you don't expect us to break into the emperor's palace to gather the loot." There was a rolling of the eyes at this.

----Meka: Meka Tribune Company Buliding----

"Hmmrf" grunted the man. It was quite hard to tell what he was thinking but he took the film and twirled between his fingers. He even rattled it against his ears. It seemed he'd forgotten Alimbur for a moment. "Hmmrf" he said again. Next thing you know the editor-in-chief picks up the nearest Resonate Phone, dialing a three digit number, still not looking at Alimbur. "Secord!" he shouted into the receiver when the line picked up. "Get your lazy ass over here! If you're going to be mixing chemicals all day you might as well put them to good use!" SLAM.

Afterwords Mr. Flavious picked the paper back up and returned to reading whatever article had caught his attention before. For a few minutes it seemed that indeed he had completely forgotten about Alimbur's existence until he just so happened to peer up from behind his paper. Catching Alimbur still standing there, he flicked his hand impatiently. "Go on! Get out of here!"

----Meka: Radia's Location, The Docks: Up Vendors Lane----

"Stop that man!" cried a policeman as Radia walked along. Perhaps he would've thought the policeman was talking to him, but if he looked towards where the voice was coming from he would see a mouse-like man running in an almost four-legged sprint from a policeman wielding a baton. The man was tanned, and seemed to be a Faelean native, but judging from his clothes had been around a lot. His clothes were torn and ragged, but remarkably durable. It was like he could go years with them on, and still have them on. His fingers were sharp, and long enough to dig a large enough hole to poke one's head through. Radia would notice he was holding a wheel of cheese beneath his coat as the man passed him by, accidentally bumping into him in the process. "After him!" cried the policeman again.

----Meka: Hotel----

Nitori's, Mek's and Leon's lunch soon came in, a main course of smoked duck sandwhich with salad on the side along and some blue cheese. A small roll was provided for each, and the sandwhiches were cut into four triangle like shapes with a circular piece in the middle. These were all placed inside plates made of silver with silver covers. With that they were provided a choice between juice or water which were in separate canisters next to three small silver cups.

_________________

Musicmac: "Sam4Books: Always ready to cheer things up with awesome art. Terms and Conditions apply."

-Financial District, Meka Tribune Company Building: “Chopped Liver”-

Alimbur’s smile only widened when Mr. Flavius called in a guy from the photo lab. That was that then. “I have an in.” She thought coyly to herself. Unfortunately her good mood began to sour as Falvius proceeded to pick up his paper and forget all about herself and her photos. Alimbur raised an eyebrow at the main waiting for some hint of recognition or direction. “Hey, over here Mr. editor. Forgetting something aren’t you?” Not wanting to be kicked out right there and then the reporter kept her mouth shut for the time being. It was a few minutes before the man looked up again and asked her to scram. “Very well sir. I’ll be seeing you again soon.” She fully intended to be a thorn in this man’s side for as long he kept her around. Back in the hall Alimbur found herself a nice place against the wall outside the editor in chief’s office and planted herself there waiting for this Secord guy to arrive. She hadn’t anywhere else to go and there was no way she was going to leave without her pictures. It had already been a few minutes. By the time he finally got here Flavius would out him through the ringer. Then whoever he is would be easy pickings.

-Jeggred Nalaar-

Jeggred smiled as the waitress finally brought the soup. Catching a good whiff of the soup, Jeggred's stomach growled. Isaak was right, the fish soup was the right way to go. Jeggred however did not take much intrest in his conversation with the waitress, Ima. He started paying attention at the point where he gave her a coin, claiming it to be worth more than the paper. She looked at Jeggred, seeming to stare at his eyes. He responded with a smile, almost saying "go ahead" before he spoke as well. "Mine as well. It looks delicious." he said, and then she left.

Jeggred's attention turned back to the food placed in front of him. The bowl was beautiful, almost too beautiful for the area they were in. He removed the cover of his soup, finally taking in all the wonderous smells at the same time. Before he dug in, Jeggred had to confirm something first. Quickly he looked at Isaak, busy removing his own cover. 'Any tricks?' he thought as Jeggred delved into the man's mind. If it was drugged, he knew nothing. Jeggred quickly peered over towards the chef and waitress, and read both of their minds as well. 'Nothing? Oh well, better to err on the side of caution.' Jeggred thought. After that mere moment, he finally took a spoonful of the liquid, careful to cool it first. It more delicous than it smelled. The flavors combined perfectly to make one of the best soups he'd ever tasted. 'A good sugguestion in deed.' he thought and then Isaak spoke.

He listened carefully to him, after all it was a job he was recieving, trying to digest the information while digesting his meal. After he was done, Jeggred just had a few confirmation questions. "You want me to find the flaws of the machine? A tall order indeed. After all, I can't possibly be the first to attempt. Otherwise, why would you grab a random stranger off of a ship who's never been to this city before?" he asked Isaak almost smuggly. "But I digress. You have your reasons, as I have mine. Before we talk about payment, I need to know a few things." he said before glancing back at the chef and waitress, finally putting down his spoon. "How many have tried before me? And what should I be watching out for?" he asked Isaak. Jeggred of course was accepting the job. However he needed a lot more backround on this before he was to attempt anything. He wasn't that stupid.

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Fenix13 : Cheesemore if you get any more awesome this thread is gonna explo- WHAT THE FFFUUUUUUUUUUU- *Everybody dies*
BeeAre : i'm just going to go ahead and say it: this thread is cheesemore's thread now. like. he's officially spam's last post crusader, always seeking the last post like a knight looking for the holy grail. poor bastard. godspeed you goofy motherfucker.
JesusChrist : 16. Cheesemore should always be addressed as "fucking Cheesemore" because he's so pathetic [see: Last one to post thread]
SoulScavenger : Cheesemore, your avatar is awesome. That is all.
Akaine : Cheesemore...if this was facebook, I'd approve of your comment with clicking 'like'.
sam4books : Cheesemore earns an awesome point.

[Radia Stelan Evanres, Vendor's Lane, was it?]

Radia's first instinct was to tackle the thief, but said man was a bit too quick, and the Sophyian hit the pavement of the Mekian street face-first. Getting back up and shaking his head, the young ex-nobility chased after his quarry, shouting for his target to slow down. Radia did not have much of a goal in mind when (or rather, if) he caught the cheese thief, the want to chase the lawbreaker was the only thought currently running through the young man's mind.

As the impulsive Radia ran down the street, he studied his prey. By the thief's clothes, he was either poor... or really, really dirty. The unclean man's personal life was of little consequence, however. Radia just wanted him caught. Preferably by him. Something in the back of the young Sophyian's mind was telling him that catching the thief was a good idea...

{Leon Borren}

_Lunch_Questions

As their food had arrived, Leon sat down at the table. " Right, after lunch." He said as his answer to Nitori's question. As he was being served by the hotel staff like his bodyguard and engineer, he tucked in a napkin and then answered his bodyguard's question "Mork’akathn, my friend, I have no idea. I first, have to understand it, and then decide from there. " He raised a fork and knife and started to cut a piece of his roast duck sandwich. The staff shortly left the trio when they finished setting the plates and the food in a certain matter.

" What interests me, is the whole secrecy around the journey of it." Leon mentioned before he took of his food. He inserted his fork again into his sandwich and made another cut as he chewed his food. " Its two things, its either on a particular land or its an island." He said as he voiced his thoughts to the other. " Both, would require, the secrecy, but let's assume an island, since that one would make the most sense." He concluded before taking another bite. He then, reached over for his juice and took a small sip.

" And then after that, what interests me is, if Mek does have access to this place, what do they use it for?" He questioned " Then again, does Mek have access to it ? The pirate was sure that if he knew, where it was, he probably could reign over it." Leon went on to say as he thought about the subject as he ate. " I can understand, keeping that place, a secret and addressing it as a myth for the other countries, but there is a lot about it that still bugs me. " Leon said as he rested his fork and knife on the table.

" Who want to investigate now?" Leon suddenly questioned.

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"Fate smiles on the strange. So its a good thing, I'm the strangest of all." - William Livingstone, Cirque de la Nuit

----Meka: Maj's Place----

Isaak ate the shrimp he was poking at, chewing on it has he recollected the details. "It's simple, actually" he stated, taking another sip of his tea. Gulping down some fish, he continued, "You've got the guards, heavily trained, disciplined, very precise. Most of them guard the emperor's palace, but don't be surprised if you find them around certain areas with entrance to the lower levels of the city. If you get past the guards, there's the machines. There have been stories of them, lurking around the lower levels, they say they are the guards of the lower levels, but some say they also live there. Most of them garbage. It can be more accurately described as a mechanical being's sanctuary. But for us, it's hazardous. Broken pipes, leaked steam, sharp fans, all have been reported causes of the deaths of those who have been lucky enough to survive the wretched hive. Yes, people have tried plenty of times before. Yes, some haven't come back alive, but those who did gave us excellent descriptions of the premises. But as long as you keep to the shadows and avoid the light, you should be fine."

----Meka: Meka Tribune Company Building----

A man with wild, curly red hair sprinted past Alimbur, clearly in a hurry. He was wearing a leather apron with a pair of glasses stuck inside a pocket, old round rimmed spectacles. As he ran, Alimbur would've noticed that his hands smelt of chemicals, wash and developer and fix. He uickly went inside the room, from which Alimbur could immediately hear angry shouts, even after he closed the door. He was only in there for a minute, before he came out, pocketing the film. For a moment, it seemed as if he was going to walk past her, but instead he took notice of her and stopped to look at her quizzically. "You're the one who brought in the film?" he asked, the tone in his voice hid no excitement. From the sound of his voice he clearly did not talk to people much. There was a sickly pale tint to his skin. It was either that his skin was bleached, or he hardly ever saw the light of the day.

----Meka: Vendor's Lane----

Radia's call for him to slow down only made the thief run faster. He ran in between the legs of men in boaters and behind trolleys. He led the Sophyan behind tightly packed alleyways where mice scattered across the ground from small windows that overlooked the basements of buildings. Barrels and crates were knocked down, blocking Radia's path. After a few blocks of running Radia would turn a corner to notice that there was a wall in his path, with a small hole in the corner large enough for a grown man to crawl through on his stomach. Inside it there was complete darkness, as well as a couple spider webs new and old, and the sound of scattering rodents. It produced a horrid stench that made one think of feces and worms. He would know, judging from the noises coming from the hole, that somehow the mouse-like man was crawling through it.

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Musicmac: "Sam4Books: Always ready to cheer things up with awesome art. Terms and Conditions apply."

[Radia Stelan Evanres, Vendor's Lane: Yeah, I don't think so...]

Damn, does this guy ever take a breather? the young Sophyian queried in his mind as he chased his quarry, avoiding all sorts of various Mekians as he ran. As Radia rounded another corner, he found himself facing a decent-sized wall, the thief nowhere to be seen. The hunter (Radia) studied the obstacle for a little more than a moment, as he started to hear various sounds emanating from a corner of his obstacle. Focusing his attention towards the area from which said sounds had originated, Radia noted a hole in the wall, a hole just large enough to allow a adult human through, provided that human was performing a military-type crawl.

Peering into the hole, the Sophyian noted the fact that he couldn't make out any source of light from the opposite end of the hole, which he assumed would be much like a tunnel. Another characteristic of the hole that Radia had noticed was the awful stench. A stench that was akin to that of the back end of a severely unwashed... anything, really.

"Not going in there," Radia decided aloud, turning away from the wall. Just then an idea occurred to the young ex-noble. Withdrawing his grapple from its holding place, Radia aimed the point of the hook towards the center of the hole. "This may hurt a bit," he warned as he fired his grappling hook into the darkness.

-Razzim Dufay, visitors centre-

It had been easy for Razzim to keep out of the way of all the reporters and questioning people that had ambushed the travellers the second they stepped out the ship. He simply kept to the back of the group and edged his way slowly to onlookers, pretending to be astounded by the sight of these “hero’s” and their pirate fighting adventures.

Fortunately that incident had been wrapped up quickly and efficiently by other members that were aboard the sky ship. It meant that Razzim didn’t have to get involved, he didn’t have to expose himself to anyone.

Now that the crisis was averted and he was safely in the city Razzim allowed himself a few moments to admire his new surroundings. It was safe to say that the young gypsy wasn’t impressed, running a gloved hand through his messy hair. When all was said and done the city of Meka was, quite simply a city. The buildings were a bit bigger, a bit different in their own way due to the different culture and there was the fact that it was floating in the air. Ok, that bit was impressive but he had expected more of the great floating city he had heard so much about. In essence it was just a city, lots of buildings, lots of people, a lack of nature. Give him the good outdoors any day.

Well, he wouldn’t be much use in the great outdoors now days. Better get used to city life, wasn’t as much he could destroy there. So long as he didn’t touch anyone.

Enough was enough! With a grunt into his red neckerchief the gypsy hoisted his backpack on to his back, smoothing the wrinkles in his suede coat before making his way to the huge building meant for what he assumed to be visitors and immigrants. It made more sense to him to get his room for the night sorted before he went exploring. It would be good not to have to carry that blasted backpack everywhere.

And with that he made his way to the building, keeping his head down, letting his dirty blond hair hide the unhealthiness of his grey skin. Once through the doors he took a few moments to gather the layout of things before joining a queue. He would enquire about accommodation, any hotels or places to stay, very politely of course, while flashing the attendant a nice smile to make him seem like a harmless visitor. Which probably wouldn’t work because of his complexion. Razzim sighed once more into his neckerchief, shifting his weight from one foot to the next. Damn this bag is getting heavy... why did I have to bring a cooking pot?

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Fenix13- Now see, that is a prime example of how people in other RP's should be. Bravo Nyvyan, You are the shining symbol of what awesome should be.- Oh yeah, I'm awesome!

Xavier stared at the shifty fellow for a moment, "It seems a little convienent for you to have a piece of paper depicting the lay out of this city," Xavier said keeping his hands on the gun and his spell book. "Especially for you to appear exactly when I'm looking for one." The inventor began to contemplate an attempt to modify his gun with black magic, but all of his prior attempts had failed, would this situation be any different?

Xavier stared at the man and continued to wait, hesitant to pay for a map to a city he had not been in for more than a week. Paranoid thoughts that this could be a scam flooded his head as he waited for the suspicious man to respond.

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-Financial District, Meka Tribune Company Building: “A New Face”-

Alimbur kept her head down as a man with curly red hair and a leather apron came sprinting down the hall. This was obviously the Secord summoned by Mr. Flavius. Only after he had passed did she officially give him a good look. “Sickly looking, and reeks of developing chemicals. Probably spends more time in the dark room than anywhere.” Judging by the boss man’s tone he wasn’t well liked around here either. Alimbur smiled. “I can work with that.” It was only about a minute before Flavius was done with his rant and sent the photo tech on his way, pocketing her precious film as he left.

When he finally turned around noticing the reporter’s presence he would find Alimbur standing not a few steps behind with a friendly smile on her face. “That I am.” She replied almost instantly extending her arm for a friendly handshake. “Name’s Alimbur Sang; prospective photographer, and apparently some time protector of Meka.” She chuckled at that last bit. Let everyone think that. It was better for her cover that way. Secord didn’t exactly seem like the social type, and after his encounter with Flavius Alimbur figured a little friendly charm was in order. She was forward and amiable but hopefully not so much as to overwhelm the guy. She needed to make friends here for obvious reasons. “Anyway you must be Mr. Secord, the one sent to develop my photos. It’s very nice to meet you.” Alimbur nodded graciously. “But please don’t let me keep you from your work. If you don’t mind though, I’d like to tag along. I haven’t much to do until the photographs are developed and I’m interested in seeing your darkroom.” Secord would find that her interest was genuine even if it was only part of the reason she wanted to go. The other parts being if she was accepted here it would be good to familiarize herself with the layout of the building, she also didn’t want to let that film out of her sight if at all possible.