Fandom &nbsp; Limbus Company/ Library of Ruina Setting (Wallflower Office) In-Character

dreadnought

Mothman
Lupine was a little surprised by the emergence of the slime-tendrils, but that quickly faded away into relief and joy. It felt really weird to be scooped up into a goopy hand, but at the same time it was oddly satisfying. With childish glee, Lupine poked at the edge of her slimy chariot and giggled.

“Thanks Dr. Alba! Phew, I think I overdid it a little bit back at the cafeteria, but I’ll be in tip-top shape after a short breather!” her cheerful voice rung out across the barren streets. "Say, I haven't worked with this abnormality before, but it seems to be a helpful little guy! These types are my favourite. I used to work with them all the time until I got promoted. You just gotta not push the wrong buttons, and it's as easy as working with children!"

The rest of the walk back to the party was filled with Lupine ranting about her encounters with objects and other less deadly abnormalities.

Just as Lupine had promised, by the time they had made it back to the party she was fully energized. She hopped down from her slimy chariot and followed after Alba. It seemed like the doctor wanted to be left alone, but Lupine didn’t seem to catch that. Keeping about a few paces behind, Lupine trailed after the broody doctor until something else caught her attention and made her stop.

Daisy and Wisteria were nearby, and by the looks of things the latter was not doing too well. Lupine had seen people get drunk on the job before, so the sight of it was not that unusual, but it was still a potential safety hazard. Should she report it? She paused for a moment, struck with sudden confusion. No, that didn’t make sense. This was a cafeteria party celebrating the successful suppression of an abnormality. It was ok to be drinking now, right? Countless clerks all around her were doing the same. Lupine shook her head, trying to get her thoughts straight.

It was the summoning from Hydrangea that broke her out of her temporary paralysis. Thanks to the Evergarden, Lupine didn’t have to worry about getting lost and just followed the mental coordinates without further worry about drunkenness. The team captain would get things sorted out!

Lupine arrived with a hearty, “Hello!” and then sat down in an open seat between Hydrangea and Alba, oblivious to the tension broiling between them. She gave a polite wave to the VIP, “Hiya! Oh are we discussing the new abnormality? Did we find anything new from observations? I’ll take notes!”

She rooted through her pocket to retrieve the blood-spotted notepad, flipping through pages of illegible scribbles and nonsense until she got to the most recent page. This of course was the one containing her drawing of Alba. It brought a smile to her face and she couldn’t help but show it off to the others sat around the table.

“Wow, I almost forgot about this! Take a look, Dr. Alba! It's you!” Oblivious to Alba’s bad mood, she held up her drawing for all at the table to see, “I made it myself! Looks just like you, right? Oh, I should show Wisteria! I bet she’ll love it!”

Looking for Wisteria, Lupine swivelled around in her seat and combed through the crowd for a glimpse of her drunken companion. It was around this time that Zi Hua returned and took his seat. His arms looked off somehow. Lupine could tell there was something wrong or perhaps… missing? She squinted at the pouting man. Why did his coat sleeves look so floppy? It was like they were empty. Was he huddling inside his jacket from the cold? Lupine used to do that when she was younger.

Lupine leaned on the table, looking towards the ~~armless~~ chilled man, “Oh, Zi Hua, you look so cold! Do you need me to fetch you a hot coffee?”

Code by Serobliss

ERode · Feb 13, 2024

Lacking muscles and masculinity, the painter’s drunken fury only made her even cuter and more adorable, like a pouting child who was angry about not being able to watch TV during dinner. Daisy squealed both on the inside and on the outside, giving Wisteria a big, spontaneous hug.

“Oh, you’re just so adowable right now, Wist! I could just eat you up, if you weren’t saving yourself for one of the hunks out there!”

She broke out of the hug, rubbing her co-workers cheeks affectionately, and was just about to drag Wisteria off to wingwoman for her with one of the Middle Brothers, when (thankfully) Hydraganea’s message sounded by Daisy’s ear. There was a moment where she frowned, wondering if she could foist Wisteria into the arms of that ‘Richardo’ fellow who was currently doing Jager Bombs with the boys and then just follow up on the epic saga of drunken love and bittersweet farewells that her co-worker would have experienced as a result of this, but, well…

The Evergarden worked both ways, and she didn’t want a lecture with Hydraganea over that, so Daisy let out a sigh that cleared out her disappointments instead.

“Welp, you heard the big cheese! Gotta go back to work, so, if you’ll excuse me…”

Before Wisteria could protest, or even really understand what was about to happen, Daisy used one hand to pry open the raven-haired woman’s mouth, then pushed her other hand deep, extending the middle finger against the back of her throat before the gag reflex kicked in and clear vomit, possessed with the aroma of alcohol and bile, spilled out as she puked. Daisy danced away from the eruption of vomit as it splattered everywhere, using her saliva-stained hand to comfortingly pat Wistera on the back (and wipe the gunk off her fingers at the same time).

“Much better, right?” There was a vengeance that would be visited in the future, but that was a future Daisy problem, and it wouldn’t be a problem at all if Wisteria just died on the job today. “Now c’mon, lets join the others!”

And with that, she bounced over to where Hydrangea and many of the others were present, an innocent smile on her face as she waved at them all.

dreadnought · Feb 13, 2024

As she got dragged into the hug against her will, Wisteria attempted to wiggle and worm her way out of Daisy's tight grip on her to no avail but even so she didn't seem to accept her fate no matter how weak the alcohol coursing through her system made her. If her regular self could see herself right now then her current sorry state would have had her cringing beyond belief while wallowing in regret over taking a bottle or three for herself in the first place. Even so, Wisteria still had her pride to her and she sure as hell wasn't going to stand by and let it get dragged through the mud via the constant wave of nonsense that always seemed to leak out of daisy's mouth as she continued hurling slurred insult after insult which would cause her to miss Hydrangea's message which would only serve to confuse the drunken artist as she further listened to Daisy's words.

"Cheese? What...fucking cheese are you....GLRK!"

Was all she managed to get out before she suddenly found herself vomiting all over the place which would cause the more alert Middle members to dodge out of the way of the splash zone while those that didn't find themselves so lucky would glare on at the pair with mild annoyance before their brothers and sisters laughed off the incident which would calm them down enough for them to forget about it and enjoy the festivities instead. Wisteria however wouldn't be so forgiving now that her shoes along with parts of her floral patterned shirt and skirt were now covered in vomit that was surely going to be a pain to wash out once she got the chance to do so. With a clearer head now however, Wisteria would trudge along with her burning hatred for the happy go lucky amateur idol on full display for anyone with a working pair of eyes to see as she made her way over to the rest of the group. Her mind already had a dozen ideas buzzing around her head on how to get back at her once the opportunity presented itself but with how lethal most of them turned out to be, it was unlikely that they'd ever be put to practice, unless...

"Can someone remind me whether or not its against company policy to brutally murder one of your co-workers? If it is then I'm fine with holding back such a thing until we're off working hours."

She'd ask without hesitation to the rest of the group before taking notice of some of the finer details of the group with Zi Hua missing some limbs again to Alba looking decently pissed of which wasn't much of a standout compared to her usual behaviour now that she thought about it some more. Regardless, on the off chance that she was allowed to enact her righteous revenge on the idol then she had her hands around her sabre at the ready and if her suffering was enough to fuel another use or two of her EGO then it was practically a win, win for everyone else within the company, in her eyes anyways. Even if she was rejected though, staging an 'accident' or two here and there wasn't a foreign concept to her if the direct approach wasn't accessible for her to use.

November Witch · Feb 14, 2024

Bleeding Heart (Alba)

Status: Intrigued & Curious

Alba would listen to her boss go on. And the girl had to admit, her boss made excellent points. God, she loved it when someone could actually hold a civil discussion with her. It took Alba back to the good old days where she and other high level researchers could sit down and have a thought provoking, challenging debate with one another. One of the best feelings in the world. It was one of the reasons she would challenge people around her with words. To see if they would reciprocate, and to see if they were intelligent enough to have a conversation in the first place, let alone challenge Alba. She knew she could be intimidating. Which made her hold those who challenged her with higher regard. While she may not see eye to eye with her boss, there was respect being built, even in a situation like this.

Whether or not anyone noticed it, her smile was now genuine.

“Well, I wouldn’t have had to deal with that jaw if I hadn’t been dragged into this little company of yours. But some things can’t be helped.”

Alba shrugged.

“However, the points you make are valid. I will work on my communication more, as you have requested. And I will work in a pair from now on at the very least; and not go out alone.”

The witch assured her boss that she understood what the other was saying. Alba would listen as her boss continued.

“No, those three were no queens. That’s incredibly clear to me…”

Alba agreed with Hydrangea. As for Lupine, she’d mostly ignored the girl for now. However, when the drawing was shone, the witch would glance at it for a moment before continuing to converse with Hydrangea. A slimy hand would emerge from the hat, however, and give Lupine a thumbs up at the very least.

“The civilians? Well, they seemed to be caught in whatever the rats were caught in. However, it didn’t affect them in the same way. They were almost frozen, swaying in place. Their eyes were closed, so I couldn’t tell if it was the same thing happening to their eyes as the rats, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Though I'm convinced they are connected in some way."

She’d answer Hydrangea’s question.

Euclid Leaf · Feb 18, 2024

Location: Zone 04 - Street Market Corner 'Guido's Backstreet Bistro & Pizzeria'

Mentions:

Juju

Zi Hua grunted at Calendula and Lupine's questions, his dejected state seemed to sour his very demeanor. Every word was a snarled biting action. The man cast his eyes to the side as he leaned the plastic chair back against the wall.

"Every bit of extra cash helps. I won it fair and square. I didn't break any rules. They only brought along their big sis cause they're a bunch of weaklings who can't handle their own." he wiggled his stumps, "If I wasn't already recovering from the last battle, I could've taken that blue haired demon on. Easy."

The client smirked, turning in his spot on the leather booth. His aged eyes twinkled with nostalgia. He pointed the cigarette, dashing it against the a tray on the table and scattering ash. "Hah. I'm beginning to know why she didn't kill you."
"Huh. Why's that?"
"You're the spitting image of Jenny when she was a kid."
Zi Hua scowled, "I ain't no kid, old man."
The client raised a brow, and puffed the cigarette with a chuckle. "Er'course not."

The man turned to Calendula, "Thanks for saving me, big lass. Looks like you're not all meat in the head, like him." he paused a second, looking her over more closely, "Say , those bolts in yer arms... ah, nevermind."

Mentions:

Juju

Hydrangea smiled upon seeing the interaction between the two employees. Maybe her social bonding initiative worked more than it appeared. Or maybe Alba was merely doing what would be most convenient given the circumstance. The doctor seemed to value efficiency above all the little minutiae of interactions. Maybe this can be coerced in the benefit of the Office. Either way, some level of understanding was made between them. That was all that mattered to her.

The client was the first to speak regarding the affect on civilians, his expression and wrinkles deepening. "Hm. That's not a good thing. It's influence might be spreading. We have to be quick. Let's wrap things up here. I can speak more freely once we get to a more secure location."

"Of course, of course! Let's round up. I'm sure we're all dying to hear more about this special, mysterious abnormality. If the thing we saw was just a 'servant', its retreat from the Middle would imply its hypnosis power has its limits." Turning back to Alba, the Supervisor's piercing gaze lessened. She held a somewhat sympathetic look. "Smile, won't you? I'm sure, this is a good opportunity to grow your... collection."

The woman made a sweeping gesture with her fingers, "Take a moment, and smell the daisies... Wait, what is that smell?"
Daisy and Wisteria had already joined the group a minute or so by now. It was only at this point, when she made a show of taking a big breath for demonstration, that the Supervisor realized the sour alcoholic scent wafting from that corner of the long booth. Her pointed nose scrunched as a hand lifted to immediately pinch it. The odor was a lingering choking mist of sweat, stomach acid, and cheap liquors. It reminded her of a bad night out with university friends. A really, bad night.

Mentions:

dreadnought

Zi Hua narrowed his eyes at Daisy, "For fucks sake. Rotten, just like that fake smile o' yours."

Picking up on the comment from Wisteria, Hydrangea glanced over at Daisy. The context seemed evident. "No, attacking other employees is strictly prohibited. Disciplinary actions are reserved only to me. Whatever happened, I'm sure it can be settled. Civilly. But please, can someone deal with that dour stench? It might rub off on me..."
With that, she unfolded her long legs and scooted out of the enclosed booth. "Now, now, let's get a move. Where to, dear client? I'll make a call to a travel agency."

But just as he was about to answer, snuffing out the little burning stub, a familiar portly chef made their appearance. They navigated the cramped space, wiping the beads of sweat with a shoulder towel. The so-called 'Guido' smiled nervously, stepping closer to whisper something to Hydrangea. He then handed her what looked to be a receipt. One that dragged by a roll on the floor.

Seeing the number at the bottom, the woman snapped her eyes over towards the center of the nearby ruckus. The Big Sister was at the center of a bunch of Middle members celebrating over a drinking game. The messy blue-hair drooped to the floor, as she had her boots kicked up on a nearby table covered by pint glasses teetering from the activity. She was absently nibbling at her new favorite oriental-style pizza topping. With slow lazy bites, the stretchy string of cheese drooping out of her mouth and onto an exposed shoulder. Jenny flicked it up with her tongue under a relaxed expression. Much like that of a outstretched house cat.

Upon noticing Hydrangea's searing gaze, a faint smirk rose while she continued on munching away.

...

Location: Zone 05 Border - 'Little Star' Motel
Mentions: @ all

The long walk through the musky, dirty Backstreets may have not been to everyone's taste. After all, usually the Office usually offered transportation. But in lieu of recent financial shortcomings, along with private transportation being no longer an option, the budget did not quite allow for such luxurious expenses. After what felt like hours meandering through the seemingly endless alleys decorated by shanties, junk-houses, and hobo forts, the Wallflowers somehow ended up in a place that looked even more dispirited.

Hundreds of half-houses and shelters have taken root around a central point. Probably thousands of gas-masks can be seen huddled around small trash-fires.

The towering building stood at least 100 floors in height, careening half-way within the shell of a the looming megastructure, and orange-open skies. District 12 was unique in its urban partitions and divides between internal local regions. Zone 04 was special in that it was a hasty construction project that was authorized by Lobotomy Corp to make used of the old L Corp main smoke-power plant. Thus, the alleyways and roads shifted in and out of complete shade, as structures were built between the massive cooling towers and vacant titanic industrial tunnels, that originally generated endless smoke. Even a year or so after their occupation ended, the lingering stench could not be removed.

Above their heads at an awning, a huge neon sign that read, 'Little Star'

Zi Hua groaned. His arms had only regenerated a meager amount by this point. Yet, he still pointed the tiny nubs with extreme charge. "What the heck is this... we came so far, only to be staying in this dump?"
Snowdrop responded with a sigh, "What else. Our Office lost all its money."
"No, no. We've used all of our allocated budget. That's quite different. Which means, further purchases must come out of our personal funds." Hydrangea corrected.
"Are you kidding me?!" he growled. The Supervisor didn't appear too happy about it either.

The client was smoking, as usual. He turned, blowing out a plume of gray haze. 'You kids sound so pampered. Hrm. Back in my day, it got much worse than this. The Smoke War is nothing new. The Glittering -Star Rebellion, the 3rd Inquisition, and the Wuthering Conflict... I've seen it all."

Zi Hua stomped his foot impatiently. "That's a great story, old man. Can't wait for you to bore us more with it later, between smoke breaks. But why are we here? Wasn't the plan to go to your office to pick up tools?"

"Can't." the old client huffed, "We have to wait out the blockade. Not to mention, Night is setting. Even if we wanted to sneak around, it'll have to wait. We've all been roughed up. If we get caught as we are, it'll be over quick. Wing security is not some morning routine, like swatting away some rats. Might as well take the time to lick our wounds. You're tough, kid. But those nubs ain't doing much against O-Corp walkers. Their precision targetting, and plasma casters will burn you to a crisp before you can even complain any louder."

Hydrangea stepped up, "Zi Hua. Show some respect. The client is right. Rushing headfirst will only get us killed. Might as well... enjoy the brief reprieve."
The woman tried to hide her disgusted expression. She stood out in the murk. Her pristine and orderliness stood opposed to the dirty houses of scrap. One was even built purely out of discarded children's toys. Still, Hydrangea gathered up her nerve, stepping forward towards the main entrance. The glow of the neon sign lit the obscured path laden by the derelict abodes of the numerous mask-wearing vagrants. Its faded flickering beams housed in cracked tubes looked like they could burst at any moment.

"Well, at least it's quaint..." She said, attempting optimism.
The lobby was fenced off by a checkpoint manned by what appeared to be improvised guards, wielding sharp blades, plated vests, and enclosed helmets. While they didn't seem too imposing themselves, a few lumbering auto-cannons were set upon the metal barricades overwatching the area. The racked rounds were the size of cannonballs. Their glowing visors humming with a flash of light, as the security scanned the passing Wallflowers from above a shielded perch.

"Heh. Well, won't you look at that? You lot look like you got cash. Welcome to Little Star."

As the party moved forward down the fenced path, there was a small commotion by a row of metal detectors. The actual doors to the motel were just on the other side, a conversion of what appeared to be an automated gate from an old facility. The brass looked rather clean and polished. A little figure wearing a broken gas-mask appeared desperately waving and gesturing at the posted guards. It was a tiny girl. She was wearing clothes that didn't looked too ragged, compared to the homeless they've seen around. Her long blonde hair dangled like a cape, dragging across the floor.

The meek voice began to get louder. She was begging of the security guards headed at the gate with clapsed hands.
"Please... can we just stay one night? We've lost our home.. and my mother is very sick.... she can't survive out here with all the pollution..."

The guard remained still, "No squatters. This is a respected establishment. Plus, you've got nothing we want, kid."
The other guards laughed, nodding their heads. "Maybe come back a few years, will ya?"
She continued to beg, holding out her small hands, "Please... we'll sleep in the toilets. Anything... Ouch!"
One of the larger masked guard shoved the pleading thing back as she hobbled toward the dotted line on the ground. She flopped like a wet tissue, and scraped her knees on the bits of sharp refuse all over the floor on this side of the perimeter. "Didn't you hear us? Beat it."

The pain of her torn skin didn't seem to bother her so much as the crushing rejection. She began to sob, crying. Until she saw the Wallflowers approaching. A glimmer of hope shone from within the eye sockets.
"E-excuse me... you're all Fixers, right? Can you... give me some money? Please?"

...

Juju · Feb 18, 2024

Rank 5 Fixer

Lupine

EGO: Rose-Tinted Reverie

Little Star Hotel

Euclid Leaf
Lupine beamed when her artistic masterpiece was approved with a thumbs up from Alba’s funny EGO slime-arm-thingy. Contented, Lupine flipped the page with a hum and began to write ‘notes’ about the abnormality, just as she had promised. Dutifully, she began to fill the page with senseless scribbles and absolute gibberish.

Unaware of the financial disaster both she and her office had found themselves in, Lupine followed after her colleagues, excited for what she would only understand to be a business trip for the company. She wasn't quite sure why or how, but she was too preoccupied with excitement to bother with the finer details.

Mothman
Lupine couldn’t read the name of the facility, but upon seeing it, she knew it for the fancy hotel that it was. She could see five whole stars blinking down at her from the billboard sign overhead, teasing her of the quality accommodations that would await her. It wasn’t until someone actually read the name of the ~~motel~~ hotel that she put a name to the place. She didn't recognize it, but she was ecstatic nonetheless.

“Little Star? Oh wow, I can’t believe we get to stay here!” Lupine gushed, hopping up and down like an excited child, “It’s like a sleepover! Did you guys want to play games tonight? Alba, can I braid your hair? You too Cal! Actually, can I braid everyone’s hair?”

She brimmed with bubbly energy, but her entire focus took a backflip when she witnessed the conflict occurring near the entrance. Lupine stopped hopping, her head tilted to the side while her glasses swayed in their hypnotic hue. There was a lot for it to process at once, though strangely it seemed to take more effort than excessive gore and violence. This was evident by Lupine freezing up for a few seconds.

An adult was scolding a child, holding them back across a line. Clumsily, the kid stumbled and fell, bruising their poor little knee. Lupine finally moved after seeing this, walking over to the child. As Lupine approached, she noticed the little girl was wearing a mask, which struck her as odd. Why would a child be wearing a mask? Fortunately, upon closer inspection she realized that it was nothing more than a cute animal mask, in the form of a chibi tiger no less! There must be a child’s party somewhere nearby. Come to think of it, she had seen a pile of children's toys nearby. Oh, if only there was a bouncy castle too!

Lupine stood over the child and offered her a helping hand, “Are you alright? I see you took a little tumble. Oh, and I love your mask by the way. Did you make it yourself?”

After helping the little girl to her feet, Lupin began to dig around in her pockets, pulling out a handful of coins, crumbled paper, scrap metal and what looked to be some piece of a board game.

“Oh and did you say you need to stay here? Sure, you can have some money! Wait, no, I have a better idea; you can stay with us! I’m having a sleepover tonight. Did you want to join? I can braid your hair! Oh, only if your mom says it's ok, of course. Actually, she can join too! Oh, this is gonna be so much fun!”

Code by Serobliss

Mothman · Feb 20, 2024

She only gave Zi Hua a roll of her eyes as he tried to excuse his actions against the Middle. It was the dumbest damned thing to do, and she assumed Zi Hua knew that, but he was just that risk-prone that he didn't give a damn in the slightest. God watches out for fools, she reminds herself, so she doesn't have to. She seems ready to tune out of that conversation almost entirely, knowing there's others far more positioned to scold Zi Hua for his nonsense, but some words from their V.I.P. make her glance over.

If there's any aversion to being called 'big lass', she sure doesn't show it on her face, and in truth, she doesn't mind much at all. There's much worse things she could be called, after all. She gives a humble nod of her head and wave of her hand. "I try not to be. Just doin' the job." She's not one for excessive chatter like someone like Lupine or Daisy, but she almost tries to hook onto his comment about the 'bolts in her arms', before the V.I.P. dismisses it. Out of courtesy, she lifts one about halfway up her torso and gives it as much of a turn as she's able to in her state. "Don't worry about the arms. I'll give 'em some work when we settle down tonight." She keeps some spare parts in the bag she wears around her waist, and as she's had time to stare at her arms during the partying, she's been more grateful that the main shell and chasis of her arms isn't too damaged. No, it's mostly just screws and bolts that have now popped out and lie somewhere in the wreckage of the diner, and actual flesh damage that the HP tablets have been slowly mending at over the hours. It'll just be bending some parts back into place, making sure the wiring and nerves are all as they should be, and she should be at least partway back to punching by the morning.

Though, the way the V.I.P. eyes the arms still makes her think twice, and wonder if he has some sort of familiarity with the tech. She's no prosthetics expert, but she wonders if the Institute puts some kind of special spin, tech, or watermark in their creations that make them recognizeable. Surely not, right? She'd have noticed, she felt like... But with the fog, she supposes anything's possible for her to miss.

---

Conversation continues for hours, before (thank the stars in the sky) Hydrangea finally summons for them to get moving. She gives a kind regard to the men she'd drank with, who cheer and herald her as the 'Whiskey Queen' for how much she was keeping down with seemingly zero impairment. Thanks, artificial liver, she tells herself. Maybe it's kind of cheating, and it's a loss that she can't buzz up like she used to... But moments like now make it at least something to enjoy. As the Wallflowers set out, she posts up near the front of the assembly, and hovers near enough to the V.I.P. that she could intervene were there some immediate danger, but hopefully not so close to make him uncomfortable. It helps also to follow one specific person anyways; the fog is so damned easy to get lost in. If it weren't for the flowers on their attire that she could fall back on, she probably would have stumbled off the beaten path and needed someone to realign her at least once. Thanks, fanciful uniforms that she didn't understand at all.

Some halfway-ish point in their walk, though, after turning the words over, sideways, and backwards in her head, she decides to reopen the matter of her arms with the V.I.P. She knows better than to ask what's in her mind straight out, so instead eventually decides on a gentler question to the man. "...You know folk that've got prosthetics? Some folk turn their nose up at it. Didn't have much of a choice with mine, so I just learned to accept it." By this point, she's at least able to raise her arms, and could turn a doorknob or shake a hand, but more specific actions that would require precision of her hand or fingers still seem a bit farther off. If anyone asked her to dial a phone, it'd probably have to get done with her foot.

It's when they finally arrive at their destination that things make some more sense. Wherever the man's workshop, hideout, or homebase is, they'd wasted far too much time to get there before nightfall. She puts it together before some of the complainers start to take issue with 'Little Star', and shrugs her shoulders at the sight of the place. It's dingy, it's run down, but it's better than getting swept. Serving in the Smoke War teaches you a few important things immediately, and learning to sleep wherever is probably the third most important skill to have, right after knowing to shut up and let a Lieutenant shout, and knowing never to pass up a chance to smoke or piss.

She lets out a breath and follows after Hydrangea as she makes for the door. "Can't see it clear from here, but man up. Any hellhole is better than the alternative." She leaves it at that, and keeps a few paces behind her boss and the V.I.P. It's only when they draw to the front gates that she's able to make out at least some details beyond the neon sign of the building as to its make and actual quality; if it's as bad as folk like Zi Hua are insisting. A roll of her eyes and she decides that, at least to her, it's not. She, for one, will sleep fine enough. Lupine makes some cheery comment that does, surprisingly, manage to lift her mood somewhat and make her chuckle. The offer to braid her hair makes her glance to her side, where the braid she does normally keep, a sort of 'family tradition', she supposes, has completely undone itself in their conflict today. "Really can't play cards like this, Lupine, but I'd spot you a game later if you fixed my braid up tonight."

She hears the voice of what must be a young girl, probably a child, trying to bargain with the bodyguards at the gate before she can pick out their wispy forms in the fog that clouds her. It takes some focus, but she's able to see the girl and her long hair just as she gets shoved away and scrapes her knee on that ugly, scrap riddled floor beneath them. Kid that young shouldn't have to be here, and a kid that young shouldn't have to be getting tetanus. Calendula steps forward just a few beats after Lupine does, only waiting to make sure Hydrangea doesn't put her foot down and insist them stay out of the issue. She gives her employer a small nod as if to imply she'll handle it, and follows after her monochrome companion.

She doesn't plan to go as far ahead as Lupine does, as far as offering the girl stay with them, but she supposes if Hydrangea is fine with it, she could play babysitter for a night. "Loops, hey, reel it in a smidge." Calendula manages the ability to pop a hand on Lupine's shoulder as the employee is helping the kid to her feet and blabbering on about sleepovers, braiding hair, and everything inbetween. She catches a look at Lupine's hand to see... Coins, to be fair. She spares a look back over her shoulder to Hydrangea to try and guage her reaction about the girl staying with them directly, and raises a hand in a poorly constructed thumbs-up (damned finger joints), then a somehow even worse thumb-down to ask for the woman's approval or disapproval.

As she waits for that answer, she crouches down in hopes of being less imposing, and tilts her head somewhat to get a bearing of the kid. Looking into her eyes, it's not particularly comforting. Her pupils swirl with smoke like snow in a snowglobe, but it's hard to see unless you're super close to her, real perceptive, or the light's good. "Take a breath, kid. Tell me more. Where's your family?" She keeps it simple and calm in hopes of grounding the kid. Despite knowing Lupine has the best intentions, she also knows that the girl might not need someone not all there to start blabbering. She'll give her money, but she has this feeling that won't really solve the problem.

November Witch · Feb 21, 2024

Bleeding Heart (Alba)

Status: Frustrated & Exasperated

Alba was slowly getting more and more fed up with the atmosphere the longer she was bathed in it. The scents, the smell, the absolute needlessness of it all… Why couldn’t they just be more efficient and get on with their work already? While she understood the reasoning of a break, not everyone needed one. While it might have been needed for some to rest and take a break, it was just an annoyance for Alba. Though, she had to admit that the talk with Hydrangea was quite insightful, for the both of them. She watched Lupine’s reaction and sudden scribbles appear in her notebook. She sighed. If someone didn’t set this girl straight, she was going to get herself killed.

But Alba wouldn’t be the one to do it. At least, not anytime soon. She had other things to focus on… Like her boss telling her to smile. Alba turned back towards her boss with a deadpan expression. The witch wasn’t a fan of smiling. At least, not when happy. She was silent and didn’t say anything or smile. She simply stood up and followed everyone out when it was time to make their exit.

Something that did make Alba smile though, was hearing that the rest of the money would come from their personal funds. She didn’t have a penny to her name, as she’d used all her money on her experiments back at the building. So, she had nothing for her boss or the others to take. Now, this building before her wasn't new, but ones like it were not. In fact, she’d set up a small research station in one between her time at L-Corp and the office. She didn’t even have to use money, just visit the owner every night and some simple deception tactics. What an idiot, giving a room away for free while Alba gave nothing in return. Lupine managed to interrupt her thoughts with a bubbly question.

"Sure. But I'm just going to unbraid it."

Alba admitted, before she turned to watch the scuffle happen between the kid and the guard as she was thrown onto the debris strewn ground. Alba, however, paid no mind it seemed. She didn’t alter her course, though a slimy hand emerged from her hat. It dug through her satchel before finding a rag and squeezing it. The liquid from the hand seeped into the rag until it was good and soaked. As she passed Lupine and Cal, heading for the checkpoint, the slimy hand reached out and dropped the wet rag into Cal’s hand. It smelled strongly of chemicals. A disinfectant.

Alba didn’t speak up or even turn her head to look at the others. She didn’t explain either, thinking that what she had done was quite obvious. Use it to clean up the small girl’s wounds. Whether Lupine or Calendula did it, she didn’t care. Though she felt more confident that the latter would be able to put the pieces together over the former. With that done, the hand retreated back into the hat and Alba would stop and wait for the others at the checkpoint with crossed arms.

She could feel it in the back of her mind. That gnawing at her very conscious. Well, not yet it was still a ways off, but she could feel it at the border of her mind. Her EGO was a little unhappy with the usage it had received today. Alba knew she couldn’t use it too much longer today. But surely it wouldn’t be needed much more before she could rest, right?

ERode · Feb 23, 2024

Desperation and art seemed to align together rather well, didn’t it? Daisy, for one, was certainly bemused by that house made of children’s toys, as well as the small-sized gasmask-wearers who would occasionally scramble by it, tearing out a piece of colorful plastic or knocking free a cracked marble. It was a Christmas present, all year long! She took her own piece from that structure as the group walked on by, a quick strike with the butt end of her knife enough to break off the half-melted arm of a naked doll. The platinum-haired girl spun it between her fingers as she looked over the Little Star Motel that the others headed into.

Not much in terms of stars, really. Except herself, obviously.

Not much in terms of pity for the kiddos too, going by how the hotel staff treated urchins. Daisy glanced over the little girl with a brighter gaze than the others. You didn’t get hair that long as a Rat, and her clothes were in far better shape too, even if her gasmask was missing a filter on one end. This sort of impracticality was, of course, more indicative of a Nest kiddo who was dragged into the muck by L Corp’s fall rather than a senseless brat, hm? And while her charms were so great that Lupine (expected), Calendula (also expected), and Alba (wow, even her?) were drawn into that particular mess, Daisy walked up and drew her knife.

“Lupine, Calendula, c’mon now,” she said, even as her idol-bright gaze bore down upon the little girl instead, “This is a pointless venture. Even Colors can’t save children, after all. Red, Purple, Blue, Black, don’t see any of ‘em offering up social housing, right? And a night in the Little Star Motel…”

She reached out, snagging her index finger against the broken lens and pulling it up until the whole mask stretched off the girl’s face. Daisy tilted her head in that gap, taking in the details of the creature’s visage, before letting go. The mask slapped back on. It wouldn’t leave much of a mark.

The girl laughed. She had glimpsed those big, watery, prey-eyes. A night wouldn’t solve anything either.

“Here’s a knife.” She flipped it, handle-first. “Pointy end for pierce, edge-wise for slash, and the butt end for blunt. Think of it as a tool, kiddo, and do some problem-solving!” Lupine was bubbly, Calendula was kind, Alba was tsun, and Daisy?

Daisy was well-adjusted.

“Welcome to the City!”

dreadnought · Feb 24, 2024

While she may not be allowed to harm her directly, Wisteria certainly wasn't stranger to getting a little...creative when it came to achieving her goals. Of course she wasn't thinking of going as far as to try anything that would get in the way of their mission but if there had to be some sacrifices to be made here and there along the way then she knew exactly who she'd volunteer for such a role first. For now though she had bigger concerns on her plate to worry about as she watched the entirety of the group's funds go down the drain in the matter of seconds which ruined any chances of her being able to wash off the smell of alcohol and vomit from both herself and her clothes as she suffered mostly in silence while the group continued to walk for hours on end. Passing hotel after hotel that they couldn't possibly afford which only served to drop her mood off of a cliff and die a messy death as the smell of vomit and alcohol lingered on, much to her displeasure.

Once the group arrived at their destination, Wisteria took a quick glance at the Little Star hotel which looked as good as you could probably get quality wise out in the backstreets although that wasn't exactly saying much when the bar to impress was so low in the first place. Even the rarely rated one star hotels she saw within the nest would have felt insulted to be compared to such a dreary looking place but she wasn't exactly built out of money these days and she'd rather not burn through her savings either on needless luxuries. While not exactly broke by any means of the imagination, some sacrifices still had to made here and there if she wanted to keep herself afloat and her current wages certainly weren't cutting it at the moment.

As she got to counting the amount of Ahn she had left within her wallet, the commotion going on outside would take up her attention for a moment as she saw her co-workers get all worked up over her current situation. Something which Wisteria herself hardly cared for what the result of their meddling brought as long as it both didn't involve her or compromise their current mission for next to no gains in the process. After all the girl along with her sick mother were just two of many, many beggars scattered across the backstreets and it wasn't as if spending a single night in a backwaters motel such as this would improve their lives all too much and that was assuming that the little girl wasn't apart of some sort of scam or gang that would end up blowing up on all their faces if they tried to help her. Regardless, she paid them little to no mind once her initial curiosity was satisfied as she went ahead and approached the metal detector gate and the security guards that were stationed alongside it in order to gain entrance to the motel's lobby.

"So all I have to do is to step through that little gate there and all should be fine for me to go ahead and book a room to sleep in for the night, right? Ah and hopefully carrying a weapon around won't be too much of an issue considering how much fixers love to be armed at all times in case something unexpected comes up. Just think of it as us doing our jobs for you in a way if something comes up and if one of us end up using our weapons irresponsibly then feel free to blast the perpetrator to smithereens with those fancy cannons of yours. Does that sound reasonable to you at the very least?"

She tried to suggest seeing as there was no way that she was going to leave her sabre within the hands of a ragtag security team that the motel had stationed around the place and that wasn't even taking into consideration of how valuable a weapon straight from a fixer workshop would look to the average backstreet dweller. She may hate her father with all of her heart but that didn't mean that he didn't know what quality looked like when it was right in front of him and she'd be damned if she allowed some no named schmuck to make off with her sabre to the first pawnbroker they could find for whatever cheap price said pawnbroker would try to rip them off with.

Euclid Leaf · Feb 26, 2024

The dim light of the skyline painted an orange path down the alleyways of the Backstreets. The Wallflowers mostly kept themselves entertained with various small talk. In the lull of Zi Hua sending out his typical grievances, the question was posed by Calendula as they crossed under a bullet train sailing overhead.

The VIP didn't look at Calendula when he replied.
"I encountered a robotic terror during a contract. Nuts and bolts. She didn't seem all together. Like something was missing up there. Think she went by M."

November Witch ...

"Wow, really...? Mommy used to braid my hair, lots...!" the girl says excitedly, clinging to Lupine. "I'm sure mommy wouldn't mind a sleep over, if it's with kind people, like you!"

There was not the air of abject poverty in her outlook. In fact, perhaps some of them might already deduced these as signs of a more privileged upbringing. The long golden curls flowed like a running river down her shoulders. Even with its extreme length, her hair was not at all nappy or damaged. Save for a bit at the dragging ends.

"I don't think it's a good idea." the supervisor muttered, to the flowers intending to shelter the little child. Her eyes narrow at the whimpering cracked gas mask, causing them to scurry behind Lupine. Much like a timid kitten.
"But since it's out of your own pocket, I can't say it is against office policy. The stray is your responsibility." the woman says plainly, walking ahead.

The girl looks up at Calendula, the gas mask buzzing as she breathed. "Umm... I only have my mommy... She's gotten very sick... She needed to lay down and rest. So I went to go get help..." pointing a finger the size of baby carrots, out to the tumbling rows of riveted shelters. The exact location seemed unclear in all of the clutter and refuge. A point only privy to a mental map located in their own mind.
The moment Calendula received the disinfectant solution rag from Alba, the child let out a squeak and tried to flee. A hand held the squirming child. Not rough, but very firm. It felt like watching a bear taking hold of a tiny kitten by their scruff. The girl kicked her tiny legs to no success, whining as the treatment was applied to the bleeding cuts.

"Ouchies..." she cried, sniffling. When she was finally let go, she immediately scurried back behind Lupine. She clung to the pale coat by the hem. From the foggy circles of the mask, the child looked down at the miraculously healed wound. She turned her head back up meekly. "T-thankies..."

She looked to Lupine, "Big sis, can we go get mommy now...?"
Daisy interrupted the inquiry by ambushing the child, aiming to illuminate the situation with her dark wisdom. The harsh medicine would be tough to swallow, even for an adult. Were her cautiously veiled warnings from a place of experienced mistrust, or the seed of a deeper paranoia? The little girl let out a whimper when the mask was lifted, the tiny pale face seen in a glimpse by the eccentric blonde. Their eyes shone bright blue, shimmering little pools dripping tiny lines of fresh tears. Not a single blemish on their puffy face.
When the problem-solving tool was gifted, the kid held the knife in their tiny hands. Utterly mystified by the object. Shaking off the daze, they staggered back with a scream, dropping it clattering on the cement. The small hands reached for Lupine as the only source of comfort. They maneuvered themselves round until the pale white employee was in between herself and Daisy.

"S-she's scary..."

dreadnought ...

On the other side, one of the guards at the security checkpoint eyed Wisteria's sabre for a moment. "We've got plenty of options to deal with rowdy guests." he pointed to the autocannons stationed around. Even for a rundown place like this, the motel was more like a fortified bunker. "Phew, but that is a nice piece of art. Looks custom, unlike our weapons. Fixers really are a different breed, huh? Wonder how much that will sell for..."

"A bunch of licensed psychopaths, more like." said another. "You just worry about paying the fee once inside. Boss hates when people waste her time."
Hydrangea smiled, pulling back one of her lapels to reveal the flowery office emblem. "Is this enough of a guarantee?"

A red light was emitted from the helmet, flashing over the piece of iron. "Grade 4. Boss'll be happy. Come along. We're paid to watch, not talk."

Upon receiving the confirmation, the Wallflowers up front were ushered through the rows of scanner with little interference. After a few more manual checks from several guards, they were able to reach the hulking bulkhead doors lined with polished brass. The galvanized metal appeared like a decorative attempt to offset the bleak aesthetic of the wiry aged hardware affixed all across the fortified structure. It appeared incredibly dense, a type of technology only available to the most wealthy. Even a direct impact with a train, seemed like it wouldn't do much damage. The Little Star rose high above. An imposing memoir of rusted steel. Of broken wings. Its shadow stretched across the landscape as night slowly crept over the fractured horizon of the Backstreets.
With a signal, the metal creaked and hydraulic arms started a laborious process of peeling the thick slab of metal to the side. While the mechanisms slowly inched out of the way, they were given some time to speak to each other.

Hydrangea looked over to Wisteria, trying her best not to let her feelings about the sour smell show in her expression. "I wonder, do you feel inspired so far? All of our mis-adventures must have surely stirred up some creative juices." leaning over, "We might need a spark of your genius for what's to come. Something remarkable."
Zi Hua added in, "Yeah, got anything big stored in that freaky sketchbook o' yers?"

While the idle chatter was going on, Snowdrop had been trailing quietly behind Alba. Their eyes gazed up at the taller woman with a certain gleam.

...

Mothman · Feb 26, 2024

There’s a lot of layers to how she felt about everything that happened in K. Corp. Her augmentations were an affront to who she was and who she used to be, when she belonged to a small village that valued the soul and sense of self. But nowadays, they made her into a woman that could fight and survive. Without them, if she’d broken out of the Institute and found herself in the Backstreets, she’d probably have washed up dead in a gutter within a month. Hell, even today, she would have been dead if not for the augmentations.

She met people in her ward she came to appreciate and love, but nobody knew a thing about her. She stayed silent every second in that place, and faked deafness to pair. While she wouldn’t hype up her acting abilities to someone else, she’d succeeded in playing the lost, confused woman she was in the ward with flawless marks. Nobody questioned it, not even for a moment. She only ever broke that facade for Murphy, after all.

It’s that complicated relationship she has with the place, and with Murphy, who’s fate she would have been certain of five minutes ago, that the VIP’s words feel like they nail her like a hammer in the gut. The VIP doesn’t look back her way, but if any of the others were to turn and look her way, they’d see a ghastly expression take over her face for some moments.

She wants to grab the man by the shoulders and beg him to elaborate, beg him to color that scene out for her so she knows. But she shakes that paranoia away quickly, and tries to chuckle it off. She tells herself it can’t be what she’s thinking, it just can’t be… Her hands wrapped around Murphy’s neck after she was already far too gone, and she watched any semblance of life leave those eyes.

Murphy’s Law, however, tells her that the worst is yet to come. That the Law suggests that a ‘peaceful’ death for Murphy back then is not in line with Murphy’s Law.

She only chokes out a half-sincere response. “Yeah? Shit, how’d that go?” She wants to know if the VIP won, if that ‘M’ was reduced to rubble back then, but she doesn’t want to ask that outright. If she hadn’t held back, it’d have been twenty times as many words asking about the specifics. The others around… She doesn’t need her dirty laundry getting spread amongst the Wallflowers.

———

ERode

She’s surprised to see Alba offer assistance to the child, even a motley thing like a took to clean her wounds, but she’s not about to complain. Calendula only gives a nod and small smirk of thanks as she takes the cloth, and turns her attention to the girl. “Your ma’ isn’t gonna be happy if you come back torn up and infected. Sit still.” It’s a bit of a fight, getting the girl to relax, and by the time she’s done, the girl’s sided with Lupine as the ‘person that doesn’t hurt her’, even if Cal was just doing something in her best interests.

Hydrangea’s since commented on the matter at hand… She doesn’t approve, but she seems to agree that if Cal and Lupine manage the matter on their lonesome, then it’s fine. Cal barely needs to sleep, augmentations be thanked, so keeping an eye on the girl should be easy enough.

Before that can be solved, Daisy comes up and offers her ‘convenient solution’ to the girl, Calendula only stares at the peppy thing with narrow eyes of disapproval, but doesn’t say or do anything to intervene. It’s only when the girl comments that Daisy’s scary that Cal huffs and stands up from her previously crouched position. “Don’t mind her, kid. Keep the knife, if she’s offering.” If the kid doesn’t seem to want it even a little, Cal’ll pocket the knife herself. Doesn’t help to waste a perfectly good knife, now does it? It’s wasteful.

“Now, kiddo, lemme level with you-“ She’s standing at full height now, a hand on her hip and looking down at the kid, barely able to see that far and make her out in the fog. Her eye contact is close, but just the slightest bit off. “-we don’t have the time in the night to getcha home to mom. Stay here a night, with me and Loops, here-“ She gestures to ‘Loops’ with a thumb. “-and we can figure the rest out in the morning.” She wasn’t sending a kid to go get fucking swept, after all.

Her only hope was that the kid wouldn’t be difficult…

But knowing her luck and Murphy’s Law, she probably would.

She thinks one internal ‘please, please don’t be difficult’, and waits for a response from the kid. If she agrees, she doesn’t plan to waste any time in getting them inside the building, and so long as she can afford it, wordlessly pays for the girl’s occupancy.

November Witch · Feb 27, 2024

Bleeding Heart (Alba)

Status: Irritated & Exasperated

Alba would watch those around the kid while she waited near the scanners and gate. It wasn’t her area of expertise, and it wasn’t something she even wanted to get involved with. A kid? In an area like this? Alba wasn’t one to have much pity or empathy at all. Whatsoever. But, the survival of the species depends on the little gremlins growing up and continuing to reproduce. It wasn’t their job to be smart or know how to survive in such a harsh place. Besides, dying of sepsis after getting an infection would be a terrible way to die. Alba would cross her arms and look back towards the guards and the hotel…

…and took a step away from Wisteria as she spewed whatever nonsense to the guards. Alba definitely did not share the same opinion as the artist. She knew not to try intimidating someone with guns trained on them from multiple angles. Especially with the group in the state it was in. They were in no position to fight, let alone survive. She shook her head as Wisteria’s attempt failed. It was obvious from the start.

“Don’t mind her. She doesn’t speak for us all.”

Alba looked Wisteria up and down for a moment, making a note of her reaction, before heading through the gates with the rest of the group. Though, once they got to the other side, she began to feel something. A gaze watching her from behind. Once they all stopped though, waiting for the massive gates to open, she turned, and would find Snowdrop staring at her from behind.

“If you have something to say, say it. Unless you’re just ogling my body. In which case, I would politely have to ask you to stop, or pay me. I don't care which.”

The witch said flatly to the other with the same bored, slightly irritated gaze she wore 90% of the time.

dreadnought

Juju · Feb 27, 2024

Rank 5 Fixer

Lupine

EGO: Rose-Tinted Reverie

Little Star Hotel

ERode
Not only Calendula, but Dr. Alba herself backed up Lupine’s concerns for the child. She was overjoyed to see that her colleagues shared a similar goal of assisting the little girl. Well, not all of them. Daisy seemed to hold a different view altogether. Lupine was a little confused at what was going on, and by the time she realized what was happening, Daisy had already snapped off one of the tiger’s ears.

“Hey, you can’t just do that!” Lupine exclaimed in exasperation, totally shocked that someone would do that to a poor child. “That’s not a very nice prank, Daisy! Look at the mask, it’s all broken now!”

She might have objected to giving the kid a knife, but Calendula seemed to think that it was a good thing. Honestly, now that Lupine looked at it again, the blade didn’t seem as sharp as she had once thought. It was more like a toy than anything else.

Lupine took the girl’s offered hand and gently patted her blonde head, “Don’t be silly, Daisy isn’t that scary! I’ve known lots of scary people, but Daisy isn’t one of them! She just gets carried away sometimes. It’s okay though because you’ve got me, and Cal! Hmm. How about I fix up your mask later?”

It was about this time that the kid asked about seeing her mother again. Unlike Calendula, Lupine wasn’t thinking too far ahead. She was fully prepared to go out in search of the child’s mother had it not been for Cal’s suggestion of waiting until the next day. “Hmm? Oh yeah, we can wait here. Why don’t we play some games! Maybe your mom will catch up and join us later!”

Already, it would seem that Lupine’s understanding of the situation had rearranged.

“Oooh, do you think the hotel has a restaurant? We should get snacks. Are you hungry? I wonder if they have popcorn. Do you like popcorn?” Lupine seemed overly excited about their upcoming stay, her eyes taking in sights nobody could see. They turned to the child suddenly, “Hey, wait a second. I totally forgot to ask what’s your name? I’m Lupine!”

Code by Serobliss

ERode · Feb 27, 2024

“Yup,” Daisy chimed in, regardless of Calendula’s disapproving glance, “I’m honestly one of the nicest people here! Know the best ramen joints in the Distrct. And I'm definitely the best singer in the City! Ah, but…”

The girl had a mother, after all. A sick mother, alone in a Wingless Nest, who wasn’t even strong enough to stop her young, cowardly, innocent baby girl from running off into this dump. Didn’t need Sweepers to clean her up, after all. If they didn’t have a room before this, well, the mother was basically done, wasn’t she? By the time morning came, there’d be a corpse without organs, at best. At worst, it’d be a sight even more scarring than just a dead parent.

“…well, leave it up to the kiddo, Cal. Whether she wants to stay with us or go home to make sure her mom ain’t alone.” She patted the heavier woman on the back, in a way that was almost consolatory, before flashing a smile at Lupine again. Pointing at the pile of masks off in the distance, she said, “And c’mon, Lupine! They’re giving out masks for free anyhow, so it’s no problem. The other ones are cuter anyways.”

One was deluded. The other was lying.

“How ‘bout you fetch some for all of us, so we can share the same look?”

dreadnought · Feb 28, 2024

"I'm only making sure that the nice guards here won't try to insist on us disarming ourselves and lumping them into whatever storage place they have set up here due to 'safety concerns'. It never hurts to try and stay armed at all times after all and I doubt you'd be very lenient to give up whatever lays within your hat just like how I wouldn't allow any random schmuck to play around with my sabre or worse."

Wisteria would rebuttal with as she along with the rest of her co-workers were allowed to pass through the checkpoint mostly unheeded, although they were getting a little tedious at this point with how many of them they had to get through. Sure it certainly showed off rather well that whoever managed this motel wasn't much of a slouch when it came to security and if as much attention into the motel itself but that hardly did anything to improve her mood along with the current state of her clothes. However once Hydrangea brought up the topic of her artworks her eyes instantly lit up in excitement as an enthusiastic grin appeared on her face.

"Oh so you're looking to get a peek of what my next planned works are, boss? While I may not have had the time yet to fully commit my latest ideas to paper, I do have to say for a single day's outing this little trip of ours has been more eventful than I expected it to be. Cutting through the horde of mindless rats that tried to attack ended up feeling tedious pretty quickly but once I followed the trail of carnage and found that band of siblings along with the beasts they had under there control I couldn't help but get excited over such beautiful creatures! Now if only their masters were half as interesting as their beasts then they may have caught my attention too. Still though if you really want to take a deeper dive into my previous works then I wouldn't mind lending you my sketchbook for you to go through."

It wasn't all too common for most people to even pay any serious attention to "a couple of drawings", in their words anyways, so Wisteria barely even hesitated to pull the sketchbook she had been working on the whole day and pass it over to Hydrangea to take a look through if she so wished. Inside the sketchbook itself laid a multitude of horrific, twisted designs that had a disturbing amount of detail to them when it came to the assortment of monsters and beasts she drew. As for her other drawings, they ranged from a couple of potential clothing and weapon designs that were both practical for the most part while also following her usual artstyle to a much lesser extreme. There were even a few basic practice sketches along with some experimentation with certain ideas that she was still evidently trying to get the hang of properly implementing into her future works.

"Just don't go ahead and tear or ruin anything in there just so that we can keep things from getting messy and in the way of clocking in for the night. You probably won't do such a thing but there's nothing wrong with being careful, right?"

Euclid Leaf · Mar 2, 2024

The long hair flopped back and fro in a rejection of reality. A look of dumbfounded terror. When faced with an unwanted truth, the mind quickly refutes what would be facts. But it slowly dawned on the child as their hand uncurled from the creaseless pale hems of Lupine's suit.

"Restaurants.. popcorn.. how could you think that when my mommy is out there alone...?" Backing away as though Lupine was the true monster, donned in a paatel visage of pleasant delusion. The mask then turned to Calendula. "Don't have time... But you have time to do all that? I don't understand..."

Calendula should have known better than to entertain such a fluttering hope. A child may be naive, but not at all stupid. Leaving someone alone during the Night of the Backstreets, is akin to throwing them into a pool of frenzied sharks. Nothing will be left in the wake of the waves of Sweepers. The Head's solution to trash disposal. A systematic recycling of biproduct and waste. Whether it be fools or the unfortunate, a corpse, in the end, is a marker bereft of any potential value. Perhaps a cruel method of weeding out the weak from the strong. However, even the strongest of the City know to avoid such a period, otherwise risk being swept up in the dark tides. Only a red misty deluge of a memory of a person. Even the most sheltered children know this facet of their beloved City.

The ragtag stray, the dragging-haired blonde immediately began to let out sobbing noises.
"No... no..." she wept, crumpling down on the floor, "I can't leave mommy..."

An understanding began to unravel within the child, as a shivering hand inched over to the knife laying there on the floor. Of all the lessons to learn, perhaps Daisy and her twisted solutions were the only way to survive in such a horrible place. Raising back up, the child shivered with a new sense of appreciation. Desperation overwhelming them into uncertain action. They held the knife forward in those tiny unexperienced hands, shivering in the air. In weak stabbing motions at the three. Perhaps the least convincing stick-up anyone has ever witnessed. From how the blade shirked, quivering with meager conviction, it was more likely the child would hurt themselves in their pitiful attempt at intimidation.

A little kitten baring its fangs.
"H-help me... O-or else I'll make you...!" issuing the thinly veiled threat of violence.

If they did not respond properly, who knows what reckless action the child will enact. From the beginning, the child was prepared to do whatever it took. In order to save the life of someone they loved, they were willing to toss their own away. Whether at the mercy of the callous motel security or the office of Fixers. If it was not them, in this moment, then no doubt by the hands of another monster lurking out there in the Backstreets.

...

Hydrangea let out a disappointed breath, glancing over at the events unfolding beyond the checkpoint. She has already resigned any involvement, so to step in now would bring question to her decision-making. Whatever choice they would make, the outcome was their own responsibility. Having seen enough in her well-kept secret of years, it was safe to assume there are no happy endings or easy solutions in the City. Not for anyone. She only dreaded what level of detriment for morale this event will inflict.
The polite smile returned when her eyes reeled back over the detailed artwork inlaid within in the art book. She flipped through the collage of morbid works making various comments, "My, my, what an interesting way with colors..."

Zi Hua seemed less enthused, grimacing somewhat as he peered over her shoulder, "Dunno. Seems like the scribbles of a madman..."
The woman gave him a nudge with her elbow, "C'mon. Show some appreciation. There is flare here. At the very least, it's not boring and formulaic." glancing back to Wisteria, "Those creatures did seem quite odd. I'm not sure what to make of them myself. Of all the jobs dealing with abnormalities, I've never seen anything like it. Alba mentioned it earlier, but there was a lack of response from our Evergarden."

The Wallflowers understood that to aid with their task, the special flowers imbedded into their flesh was to grant them an edge against the supernatural. Their most common threat. Blooming in the presences of entities manifested from the human mind. The lack-there-of, would suggest another confounding string of possibilities.

The old man looked down at the twisted, gory depiction with a smirk, "This City, it makes everyone a little mad... But we all make beauty from the dreariness, in our own ways."
"Speaking of which, why did that wild one call you their 'target'? It seemed they had a change of plans from tearing us apart to specifically prioritize hunting you down. What have you done to warrant such a thing?" Hydrangea muttered, turning another page.
He let out a shrewd laugh, "Ha. What have I not done? In my line of work, enemies naturally find you. You're the same, aren't you? Fixers in the knack of seeking forbidden knowledge." His gaze lowered. "Aye. Still, I wonder... I do not recognize them."

As the conversation between the larger group went, and the bulky doors taking their time opening, Snowdrop glanced up to Alba who had acknowledged them. The small nun, who was barely taller than the child waving the knife in the background, tilted their head in a show of coy submission. The talons crossed in a playful gesture.

"Huh, Lady Big Hat?" using a cute voice, "My eyes? Oh! They were looking! Not at you though.~ But at that round, fancy pointy-point hat. Because I thought I saw something unusual about it. But I think it was just my imagination... Sorry~"

Forming an 'OK' sign with their claws, they skipped back to the front between to look at the sketchbook. Squeezing through, and pushing up on tip-toes to get a better look.

November Witch · Mar 2, 2024

Bleeding Heart (Alba)

Status: Intrigued & Hopeful

Alba listened to the other respond to her question with a raised eyebrow. It seemed like everyone here was out of it a bit. Of course, her hat was off. It was her EGO after all. And the way Snowdrop just skipped on by after saying that… Alba let out a sigh. She felt like the only sane one here sometimes. Lupine, Daisy, Wisteria, Snowdrop… Well, at least they were useful in combat, if not in social situations. Her attention would turn back to the group failing to calm a child. She rubbed her face with a hand, as the others only further exacerbated the situation. It was a child; how hard could it be?

Alba made her way over as the child waved the knife around at the others. Okay, maybe they had taught the child a lesson in a roundabout way. Well, specifically Daisy, and more direct and purposeful than the others who seemingly made it worse... The girl would have to learn violence at some point to protect her and her mother. Though giving someone a weapon and telling them to go at it wouldn’t help anyone.

Alba decided to approach, and as she did, she noticed the increasingly odd look of the girl. Long hair, clothes less ragged than most, how she seemed more used to begging than acting for what she wanted. These hinted at someone who wasn’t here long. Someone who may have lived a good life not too long ago. This piqued Alba’s interest. Perhaps there were connections that could be made, or information that could be gathered from this girl’s mother. It was only an incrementally small chance, however Alba felt as if there was no sacrifice to be made besides time and maybe some of her medical supplies she had in her satchel.

Alba joined the group around the girl and stopped to look down at her. Her aura was likely intimidating and possibly even frightening to the child. With a neutral expression on her face and crossed arms, she spoke up.

“It just so happens that I’m a doctor, little miss harmless. Whether or not someone here decides to house you, I can take a look at your mother if you would like.”

Alba didn’t at all seem phased by the child with the knife. She spoke the truth as well; she had extensively studied the human body back with her time at the company. After all, one had to understand the body in and out in order to research how EGOs, Distortions, Abnormalities and more affected it. She just hoped it would be worth her precious time. Alba didn’t much care for how she was perceived by the others. Whether they saw her being nice to the kid because that’s how she was. Or perhaps they managed to see what she was really after. Either way, it wouldn’t affect her. Though according to Hydrangea, she would have to take someone with her from now on to work as a team. How annoying.

Well, she knew who she would ask to join her, if it came down to it. Daisy and Lupine were too whimsical, and Wisteria seemed like she may do something rash if a sudden creative surge hit her. Which left only Calendula. Arguably the most injured and least capable of defending herself within the group. Though at least Alba wouldn’t have to worry about her mindset or the way she acted.

ERode · Mar 2, 2024

Daisy smiled.

It was a start, wasn’t it? She knew what needed to be done, took the weapon that was placed before her, and figured the most direct, most acceptable solution in the City. This was still enough, of course, to get her killed. She was feeling too much at the moment still. She needed experience to hold the knife well.

Of course, if this was any other group of Backstreets residents, the child’s skull would be smashed open before she could make good on her promise. Her arms were too short, her body was too weak. With how jittery she was, the knife wouldn’t even make it three millimeters deep before it was swatted out of her hands. So, Daisy, naturally, gave some advice.

Crouching down, she clapped her hands over the child’s, arresting her stabbing motions immediately. Her eyes, vibrant and vicious, found the child’s own. It was a gaze that consumed, a gaze that pulled one onwards down a proper path for a City resident. “Careful now,” she spoke. A velvety tone, so different from her chipper, upbeat notes. “You’re small, so you don’t have the strength to do anything with your arms alone, little girl. Keep the knife close to your chest, or someone will just snatch it away. Remember that the blade is very short; someone can pick up a rock and just throw it at you, or pick up a pipe and break your bones.”

Gradually, she pushed, applying only enough force until the butt of the knife nestled itself again the girl’s stomach.

“If you’re going to stab someone this young, you can’t let them know you’re coming. Step forward and lunge like you’re tackling them with your body, in order to get all that mass in there. Then, push yourself away from them, giving a nice little twist on the way out.”

She held the girl closer, one hand reaching over her shoulder and behind her back, before pulling the child into her embrace. The other hand guided the knife’s point deep into her own flesh, sinking it hilt-deep. And then, a light shove, enough so that the girl stumbled away from it all, the knife still in her hand. Another gap made in Daisy’s clothing, as something inhuman pulsated underneath the cloth.

“Adults won’t take you seriously, and most of the scarier ones can shrug off a stab to their chest, so the most important thing is...well, if you know that we’re Fixers, you should know that we’re not the right kind of people to threaten, kiddo. Pick your targets well, strike with an intent to kill, and then steal their stuff afterwards. Threatening them just gives them a chance to fight back, you see?” She reached out with her hand, flicked the kid on the forehead. “Keep it up, and once you’re good enough at it, see if you can get hired by an Office or join a Syndicate! That’ll be what really helps your mom stay alive in the long run!”

But Alba was approaching now, Alba with the nearly out-of-character offer to help out a street urchin for nearly no personal benefit at all, and that was enough for Daisy to snap back into her own character. She hopped up onto her feet, grinned widely, and said, “But it looks like the Good Witch of the East has appeared, so your mom’s definitely going to survive the night now? Aren’t you happy, being such a lucky little girl? Now you have to make something of yourself!”

Mothman · Mar 2, 2024

Euclid Leaf

The last thing (well, okay, maybe not the last thing) someone would expect a young girl like this to do when getting at least partially what they wanted, that being shelter and a night's rest, was for them to brandish their newly gifted weapon at those near. It's an instinctive gesture, the way she puts a hand on Lupine's shoulder and gently guides her back, despite knowing full well the woman could fold the girl in front of them like origami if she had reason to. She resists the urge to roll her eyes at the meek gesture, before putting a hand to her hip and letting out a gentle whistle. "Kiddo, let's not get hasty..." A weak attempt at diffusing the woman, more of a stalling tactic so she can consider the options at hand, if the girl's going to be so stubborn. The first idea she has is knocking the girl cold and taking her inside, but they'll still have the same fervor and issue when she wakes up. Not to mention that the security detail might find some way to throw a fuss about bringing in a 'non-consenting individual' or some nonsense.

Daisy's the first to interact with the threat, though Daisy only encourages it more than anything else. The way she takes a stab (it's a small knife, to be fair) without so much as thinking about it makes her wonder just what the story with the popstar is, but now is hardly the time or place to be thinking too hard on that. Their boss is probably pissed at the hinderance this is causing, and it was partly her idea, and now the kid's waving a knife around. That damned Daisy is gonna start some kind of bloodlust in the little girl, for god's sake...

Yet another reminder that Murphy's Law is an observed, studied, and most important true law.

She humors for a moment what can make the current situation worse, a metal finger tapping at her hip. The girl could distort, the security could deny them any habilitation for the night, leaving the Wallflowers out in the open, and maybe the cherry on top could be two more trucks raining down from the sky. But she'll deal with those things as they come, she reminders herself. Murphy's Law may be a true phenomenon, but that doesn't mean spending every second fretting is healthy. No, that knowledge only helps her be prepared. A deep exhale leaves Cal as she glances to Lupine, blinking twice before asking a question in a quiet whisper, knowing all the good it might do, Lupine as lost in her delusions as she is. "Think this is salvageable, unalii?" She doesn't share her input yet, but frankly, at this point it doesn't feel like it is.

But, of course, the tides are ever changing, and before she can get far with Lupine, Doctor Alba has stepped up to the plate and given a very blunt and very simple possible endeavor to the young girl; an offer for a consultation with aforementioned Mother. That was all well and good, but the implications of it were what made her swallow back a breath. The only way this girl would be happy was going to find aforementioned Mother right now, and that seemed to be what Alba was offering. "Oi, Alba-" She starts as she steps forward, and in a brief moment of clairvoyance in the fog, she makes out the clear, clear-ly pissed off face of their boss. There's a quip from the woman that simplifies to 'this has gone on long enough, get it over with, and stop causing a scene', and Cal lingers on the words and her gaze for just a few moments, now hovering just besides Alba.

A gruff huff of exasperation leaves her, and she looks to the child, raising a hand in a sort of mock surrender. "Look, kid, just... Just give us a second." She leans in closer to Alba and ushers her a few steps away, hoping the kid will at least give them a moment's peace to talk the situation out. Calendula starts quickly enough, in a hushed whisper. More than anything, she just wants to situation diffused. Daisy not promoting the violence, Alba not getting Hydrangea ready to strangle her, Lupine's delusions not serving to goad the girl further... But she has a funny feeling she's not going to get the tenseness of the moment gone anytime soon.

"Doc, your reasoning aside, and your business staying your business, you gotta sell me on this... I want to help, too, even if it's just so she doesn't weigh on my mind, but-" She clears her throat and nods her head over towards Hydrangea, Zi Hua, and the VIP. "We're on a job, here, and Boss' already ticked. This kid's not worth my employment. We don't know how far her mom is, and we've got-" She spares a moment to shut her eyes, and the time seems to miraculously come to her, and it's so close to nightfall it's apparently worth a chuckle. "-nowhere near enough time to make a trip, give her a house visit, and make it back! I'm just as ready to clock the kid and drag her inside to sleep it off..."

She finally leans back and gives Alba her personal space back.

"Dammit, just... I'm on board, but make it make a little more sense for me, please. I'm not gettin' swept tonight." She leaves it at that and raises her arms in a brief sort of shrug.

Euclid Leaf · Mar 3, 2024

...

Hydrangea's eyes immediately followed after Alba with curiosity, who walked back through the security scanners with such sheer conviction that even the security team seemed baffled by what was happening before them. It was difficult to tell whether that woman cared about a situation, or if she was so bored she was willing to cause some chaos just to entertain some secret self-serving goal.

Daisy's little life-lesson coddled into the knife play seemed to freeze the child in absolute fear. Most particularly the faint killer gaze lingering behind all that jovial vibrance. By the time she finished the pointed exercise, the child stumbled back in a daze. They looked at what should have been a wound initially in guilt. They almost instinctively squeaked out an apology, until they looked down to see no blood in the gash made in the clothing. Their head darted around, as though surrounded at all sides by monsters. Their pale stick-like legs wavered, and they nearly crumbled. All the threats they made, there was still no true intention to hurt.

But there seemed to be a ray of hope. In the guise of a woman that didn't seem like she could care less.

Yet, her surprising words of charity perked the child up. They stared up, holding up a clasped hand. "D-do you really mean it? I don't... know if we can pay you... But I'll do anything...!"
The child looked between Daisy and the others, unsure if she felt at all 'lucky'. Regardless, it seemed the only chance. With a combination of awe and fear in their eyes, they continued to squeeze out the last few words. "I-it's not far... So... so, if we go quickly, we can avoid the Night. Then we all can have that sleepover...?"

"Are they fucking stupid?" Zi Hua muttered, shifting impatiently on the other side of the fences. "Instead of a cozy room, they want to lie down in a cement coffin?"
"Looks like the rest of your employees, are taking to that stray." the old man laughed.

The Supervisor closed the art book and returned it to Wisteria, "Oh bother. Now, it looks like we have a bit of a problem. Don't we?"
Only turning, she did not even begin the trouble of crossing back the length of detectors and confused guards. Her eyes seemed to point at one direction. A single glance at Lupine, and she could already tell were the deluded little sapling stood in this dilemma. Hydrangea knew she could easily coerce the delusions to get her way. Would that make her as evil as the ones controlling -redacted- before, even if done for good intentions. Would two wrongs make a right? Can two rights make a wrong?

Forming a decision, she called out to the collection on the other side. Almost a look of pity.

"I hope you all understand what it means to be caught out there in the upcoming hour. If so, then I'll let you go. Best be quick. Because, if I have to go out there searching for any of you during the deadline... I'll make it clear now;" the irises of her gaze narrowed in a serpentine shape, "The sweepers will look like frolicking weeds compared to my wrath. Not to mention, the sleepover will be cancelled."

The threat issued to the Big Sister back in the pizzeria was not a hollow one. The Wallflowers were not to be trifled with, even with a fiercesome enemy like the Middle. All these fledglings barely grasping at their own potential, should their EGO be unleashed in their horrific maturity, the level of destruction would certainly draw the attention of the Head. At the cost of everything they ever once were. An outcome that should be delayed for as long as possible. It was not yet time. The buds were not ready for harvest. After all, these were not powers meant to be controlled. Just like the whimsical waves of one's own emotions. Can one fully divorce themselves from body and heart, truly?

Fortunately, there was at no point so far, she needed to unleash even close to the full potential of her own EGO. Mostly because of how delicate their protection mission was, and due to the gratuity of the bargaining talent of the wizened VIP.
But if it was a rescue into that dire situation, then she would need to. If so, there was no guarantee of anyone's safety.

The old man huffed, bellowing a long string of smoke. "Are you sure about this, Supervisor?"
Hydrangea stepped up to the gap between the now opened doorway, "Perhaps, I've also taken to some strays..." her heels clicked against the marbled floor of the grand lobby, as she turned fully now. Pain shone behind her faint smile, "How does the proverb go? Let them go, and if they never return... it was never meant to be."

...

seasonedcat · Mar 3, 2024

Rank 5 Fixer

Honey Locust

EGO: Thorns of Love

LITTLE STAR HOTEL

Honey Locust spent most of the night hanging back from the rest of the group; the deep exhaustion and injuries he had, along with his naturally reserved personality, made him go missing for most of the night. It was practically like he wasn't there and had missed the whole thing, only appearing now. But that would be completely crazy and not what happened, as he was clearly there the whole time.

spending most of the time at the edge of the group, limping around on the makeshift binding on his leg. Thankfully, he did not require any input towards events that happened even though he was clearly there, and everything moved on mostly smoothly around him. As they reached the hotel, it soon came time to make the choice of whether he would stay or not. Frankly, he didn't have much of a choice but to stay. The outside would be far from safe, and he did not have nearly enough blood left to defend himself from much. If it came time for it, the thorns would merely kill him itself without giving him much of a chance. Plus, as the orders were not to leave, it only made sense for him to stay as well. He just hopped if all possible, to not have to be in a room with another person, or at least not share a bed. If that were the case, he would most likely not get much sleep over the constricting of the thorns.

while part of him did want to care for the child, he knew that it didn't matter. His own involvement would lead to nothing but more conflicts, both with his poor social skills and the very obvious threat of his thorns. Letting himself help other people always ended up making things worse for him, so unless the orders were to change to going with the child to help them, he would not be a part of it. Orders were one of the few things that the thorns did not see as advancements, for the most part.

Honey Locust remained far enough away from the group that he wouldn't risk getting touched or interacted with for the most part, but close enough to still supply answers and be a part of the conversations. Despite this, he kept his mouth shut as he watched the others make the decision. He did not leave the group on Hydrangea's side nor offered any interaction with the child(though that wasn't strange from him). Without offering a word, he made it mostly easy to assume he would remain inside tonight.
mentions|

Code by Serobliss

Juju · Mar 3, 2024

Rank 5 Fixer

Lupine

EGO: Rose-Tinted Reverie

Little Star Hotel --> ??