Original Sin (IC)

[Zurvan]

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"Well, that's pretty good for now. You've got any leftover questions or concerns? You want some time to finish up your drink? Get some food? There's plenty of time, no rush. You got to make sure you're at your best after all."

"Oh right, you got any hobbies?" Ash offhandedly asked, almost as an afterthought.

"Hobbies, mhmmmm" The words hung in the air just long enough to be somewhat suspicious.

A faint twitch appeared on Asher's face, seemingly involuntarily. The first thing his mind came up with as an answer, was not something he was happy about.

"Not really no, I keep myself busy with other matters" he said, trying to keep his previous casual tone present.

"I think I'm good for the most part, just tell me how contacting you guys works and where I need to go and we'll be set. Then again, we have the time, why not enjoy ourselves together?"

Finishing his drink in one go, Asher smiled brightly.

"You up for another drink?"

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno-Officer May's house
The Present-Morning

Theola was not one naturally inclined to the chain command, as evidenced by her earlier actions. But that did not translate into enjoying being on the receiving end of her superior’s temper- like any reasonable person, she would have preferred to avoid the chief while he was in this mood, not that such opportunities were available to her at the moment.

But this situation was not all that bad. It did not seem to be directed at her, and as far as the chief’s personal affairs or tempers were concerned, she didn’t really care so long as he didn’t drag it into work. Or, more precisely (and importantly, for that matter) onto his subordinates.

That it seemed to be distracting him was unfortunate- but she had enough sense not to disturb him, and waited for him to continue.

"To cut straight to the point, it's about the governor's speech later today. Despite my protests, she's still going through with her original intentions. So it's about the security arrangements."

As a member of the police, she’d heard of the speech before. Although she didn’t know much about the contents, it was rare for the governor to come out personally and announce such an event. That alone would have attracted attention, but the rumors…

Perhaps the governor’s decision in going ahead with it was the source of the chief’s irritation, seeing as his opinion had been disregarded. To be honest, if that was the case, then she did not share his sentiments-while she had little love for administration, from what little she had heard of it Theola personally liked the move- it sent the message that the city would not cower in the face of its enemies. And if any of them took affront to the challenge to their authority and decided to step up…

Then it was only naturally up to the police to make them step down, permanently.

“Security arrangements.” She repeated the phrase as she looked at the chief. “Being cautious, or do we think someone’s going to show up?”

[Tangerang]

Ana
Inferno - Upper Levels, Private Residential District
The Present- Morning

Ana's body suddenly began to twist and contort under the man's hand. Her skin flowed over itself, constantly shifting and turning over itself. The bodyguard who had put a hand on her shoulder lifted it in surprise by it was too late. From Ana's body, a swarm of birds suddenly seemed to burst outwards before attacking the assembled men.

"-!!!"

The man closest to Ana went down, covered in birds that were biting and attacking him. One of the bodyguards behind Ana pointed at her and yelled out.

"She made a contract with a devil!"

Panic began to spread throughout the bodyguards when a clear voice cut through the confusion.

"Focus! Her body should still be human! Guards 1-4 return inside and make sure the employer is safe! The rest of us shall subdue this assassin here."

The other bodyguard 'leader' issued his commands quickly in order to take control of the situation. Half of the group immediately split off and left for the house. That left only him and four more bodyguards who were currently taking out their weapons. Steel truncheons that would certainly leave quite an impact if they connected.

However, the murder of crows kept their attention from fully being able to focus on the girl, as they swatted at the birds that were constantly diving at them over and over. Even if the leader had prevented a complete collapse, their formation was broken and there was plenty of gaps to break through if she so chose.

Spoiler:

Ana
MGI: 5/6

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"I have no interest in doing anything as stupid as dying."

"What you want and are interested in have nothing to do with it, you punk." The man spoke before he spat at Harker's face.

He then took a breath before glaring at Harker.

"You want my advice? Run, freak. You leave now, and I'll even forget all about this. The longer you stay, the deeper the grave you're digging for yourself, got it? Get the hell out of here and stay out of affairs that don't concern you. You'll live longer than if you try to keep on playing hero."

"Besides, I have no idea what you're talking about. I am a reputable business man who has never done anything against the law. Unlike you, freak."

---

Fatima bint Samum/Gremory
Inferno - Night Parade Territory
The Present - Morning

"Protection just so happens to be my forte. But I am a guard more than a chaperone. I hope we are not expected to act as moral guidance for her then?"

"That's not quite what I mean either..."

Miss Grey paused again. Clearly this was both a very important matter, yet also one that she had no idea how to properly address.

At one point she just seemed to give up

"For the most part it shouldn't be difficult. Miss Allis is for the most part, reasonable in my opinion. She is also singularly focused on one thing, that is to say her vendetta. It is during the pursuit of her vendetta that problems tend to occur. To be blunt, I'm asking you to do your best to limit the collateral damage, and to withdraw her before the entire Inferno police force show up for her SIMPLE SINGLEMINDED HEAD!"

Miss Grey took several breaths to calm down. To be honest, it was unsurprising. The conflict between Mary Allis and Mattias was less of a simple vendetta and closer to a full scale war. And the destruction and bodies the two of them left in their wake matched that term. It's little surprise that both the Inferno police department and likely the Seven Sins labeled Mary as a top priority for elimination. However, it was for the very same reason that the Night Parade couldn't allow that to come to pass.

"This might be harsh, but I want to be clear. Miss Allis's life is worth more than the both of you, so be sure to put your life on the line if need arises."

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"Not really no, I keep myself busy with other matters"

"In that case, then I suppose I'll have to choose..." mused Ash.

"I think I'm good for the most part, just tell me how contacting you guys works and where I need to go and we'll be set. Then again, we have the time, why not enjoy ourselves together? You up for another drink?"

"Sure thing, I'm always done for another drink. And don't worry about contacting us yet, we'll contact you. If you pass the test, we'll give you the communication method. Nice and straightforward, ain't it?"

---

Theola August
Inferno-Officer May's house
The Present-Morning

“Security arrangements. Being cautious, or do we think someone’s going to show up?”

"Just doing our job. I'd like to think nobody would be stupid enough. If somehow, she went down, it wouldn't end up involving just the Inferno police department, but Purgatorio and Paradsio and pretty much the entirety of Eden. However, who knows how these criminals think. It's not impossible."

The chief narrowed his eyes, leaned forward and then lowered his voice.

"The information and reports I've gotten are... conflicting. Apparently the word in the underworld seems to be leaning towards a neutral wait and see. However, there's also been some movements among the gangs that have been somewhat concerning. It's hard to get a clear picture but it seems like there's something potentially going down. Someone with a plan has definitely been making some moves."

He let out a chuckle that contained absolutely no sense of humor.

"Isn't it odd? On one hand, it seems like most of the bigshots have been telling their men to sit tight and not take action. On the other hand, someone has been making a lot of moves behind the scenes. Now what do you make of this conundrum?"

[Zurvan]

"Sure thing, I'm always done for another drink. And don't worry about contacting us yet, we'll contact you. If you pass the test, we'll give you the communication method. Nice and straightforward, ain't it?"

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

A grin showing on Asher's face, he spoke.

"Haha, wonderful, hey tell you what, this one's on me. Tell me what you want to have and I'll go and get it for you, and then when I'm back we can discuss this test you keep hinting at."

Asher got up, waited for Ash's reply of wanting "something strong" and then went to the barman. The music in the bar happily musing on, as customers come and go.

After a while, Asher returned with two glasses, containing clear beverages with a slice of lime on each glass.

"Hope it's strong enough for your tastes. Enjoy it"

Taking a sip, Asher smiled brightly, seemingly satisfied with how things have been progressing.

"So, about that test you talked about..."

But perhaps, this test would turn things around unfavorably. After all, while this has certainly been a relieve compared to how things went the past few months, maybe things were now going a bit too well.

Only time will tell.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno-Officer May's house
The Present-Morning

“Hmm.”

To Theola, who asked the question without expecting much, the amount of detail that the chief had on the matter came as quite a surprise to her. After all, it was the governor here- caution was only natural, regardless of the severity.

Was it because of the persons involved that the chief had gathered this information?
Or did he always keep tabs on this sort of information?

Theola was far from unused to the workings of the underworld- but at the same time, she could hardly claim to understand at all the thoughts of those in power, much less of such sparse information. That said, from what he had said, one particular conclusion stood out in her mind over the rest…

“Sounds like they’ve all caught word that someone wants to take action, and decided to sit on the fence to see how it goes.” Caution was never something that one could have in excess, after all. “If whoever’s up to the task succeeds, then depending on the cities response, they’ll either turn in the mastermind to take the fall and return the city to order, or if they see weakness, then they’ll take it.”

No need to dirty your hands if someone else was willing to get them dirty for you. Whatever happened, they were unlikely to come out much worse for wear.

“In either case, it’s not like it changes what we have to do.”

From her perspective, strategizing over uncertain information and chasing a labyrinth of what-ifs was nothing more than a distraction. Their task itself was simple- especially so, if there was only one party at work.

“Make sure nothing happens at the speech and all of their plans crumble to dust. If most of them decide to sit back and watch, then let them watch what happens.”

[Mooncake]

Stray Dog
Inferno-Underworld Coliseum
The Present-Morning


It had landed.

There was nothing to celebrate just yet.

His opponent managed to barely deflect the tip of Stray Dog's sword, but he was wounded - and wounds made the enemy dangerous.

Stray Dog took a very strange stance again, staring down the larger fighter. His feet felt the cheers of the crowd, but all he could see was the man in front of him.

Yes.

It was time.

His left hand curled around the hilt, blade up to the sky, as his right palm braced against pommel. Stray Dog drew the sword back up to his right shoulder -

- and waited.

His heart began to beat like a drum.

And waited.

His veins stood out on his face as Stray Dog stared Griffin down, eyes burning holes into the other man.

And waited.







And waited.









Now.

Stray Dog's left foot slammed down on the ground as he launched forward into a blazing fast thrust, aiming to skewer the larger man straight through-

But he stopped, at the last second.

He delayed it.

A bait, in a place where no one should have been able to place one.

And then...

Stray Dog threw his sword with inhuman strength, straight at Griffin's center.

Spoiler:

Accelerando (2 MGI) - ???

[Frantic Author]

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

Harker continues to smile, waving his hand. "Fear not, good friend. I will be out of your hair as soon as I can. It's simply that, as I was reviewing some of your documents, I noticed a discrepancy."

Slavery.

Murder.

A pit where those in it fight to the death.

This is the kind of place the Seven Sins create.

"So, I suppose what I am going to ask you, is whereabouts would such a location be? After all, while slavery is a sin, wrath is as well. Forgiveness, aye, what a necessary thing. Even when we do not wish to give it, we must try anyways. Strange world, isn't it?"

His smile turns bitter for a moment as he looks at the executive, raising an eyebrow.

"So, kind sir, please tell me what on earth that means, and I'll be out of your way."

Harker lazily lifts the documents, throwing them in front of the man's face with a grin. In a world of unkind people, it almost felt like a sin to be kind. But he didn't mind that at all. Even in this land of sinners, there are some good people. And even those who have sinned can be saved. Every soul in this lost, barren city... He would do it.

He would definitely save everyone.

It's just a fact of who he was; 'a person who saves people'. Even unkind people, even unjust people, everyone deserves a second, third, fourth, twentieth, hundredth chance. Because on that chance, they might change their minds, and their destiny could be reforged.

"I have all the time in the world, so don't mind taking a bit."

[Bird of Hermes]

Ana
Inferno - Upper Levels, Private Residential District
The Present- Morning

That worked better than expected.

With the formation broken, the leader down and the group in disarray, Ana's work was done. The crows were doing splendidly and eating away happily but those words at the end were the last thing they needed.

"Focus! Her body should still be human! Guards 1-4 return inside and make sure the employer is safe! The rest of us shall subdue this assassin here."

Ana raised a hand in the air and waved forwards, gesturing for the birds to target the stragglers at the back and stop them heading back into the building to give her associates that last minute they'd need. As the others, she just started to walk backwards with her hands curled up in fists ready and waiting to throw back whatever they had at them.

"I'm not even an assassin, I'm just a pretty little distraction. You're welcome to try this but it won't end well for you - just look at your middle manager."

[Tangerang]

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"So, about that test you talked about..."

"Ah right, the test, the test, I suppose that would be the thing you're currently wondering about the most. That makes sense after all."

Ash gave a dismissive wave as he brought his glass up to take another sip.

"It's nothing to be overly concerned with. In a way, you can think of it as more like an initiation ritual. I've already told you about what we do right? We take what we want, when we want, thanks to our power and strength. And what's the purpose of the test? To see if you're qualified to be one of us. In other words, to see if you can do what we do."

He grinned as he took another drink from his glass.

"With that in mind, what do you think the test is like?"

---

Theola August
Inferno-Officer May's house
The Present-Morning

“In either case, it’s not like it changes what we have to do.”

“Make sure nothing happens at the speech and all of their plans crumble to dust. If most of them decide to sit back and watch, then let them watch what happens.”

"I suppose that's true," mused the police chief. He looked at some documents on his desk, then gave another sigh. "Still, it would be much simpler for us if we could only pinpoint the specific methods that are going to be utilized. If there is an attack that is."

"At least we know that objective of any such plans anyway. That much is obvious. Which means that all we need to do to stop their plots and plans is to keep the governor alive. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He looked Theola straight in the eye.

"What's important isn't stopping or overcoming the attack. What's important is keeping her safe. Defense not offense. This is the role that has been assigned to you and your squad. If something does happen, it will be your job to escort her over to safety. Leave the stopping the attack to the rest of the police force. I know I'm repeating myself but do you understand what I'm saying. No, let me rephrase that. Do you understand what I'm ordering you to do, captain?"

---

Stray Dog
Inferno-Underworld Coliseum
The Present-Morning

The boy was the one who broke the stalemate. Slamming his foot down into thee ground, he launched a thrust forward aimed straight at-

-nothing.

The thrust never happened. The attack never occurred. A feint to draw out a potential disposition from the opponent. His opponent had reacted by kicking back yet again, fully focused on his defensive style.

The next second arrived. The boy took his weapon, and threw it straight at Griffin's center. There was no dodging this from the position that he was in.

Nonetheless, this was something that the man was ready for. The instant the expected attack did not arrive, his mind had raced through the potential future possibilities that remained. At that range, with this footing, in this situation what was the most dangerous possibility? He had already begun bringing up his weapon to deflect the boy's attack before the sword had even left his hand.

"-Kuh!"

Useless. Even if his mind had been able to foresee this action, it was useless if his body was no longer able to keep up. The wound on his chest widened even further and slowed his arm. In the man's mind, there was regret and understanding. There was nobody to blame for this loss but himself. From the very beginning, the moment he had so arrogantly dismissed the youth as not someone to be concerned about, the instant he had let his guard down, his defeat was certain. Perhaps, if he hadn't been so careless then-

-The mace clashed with the sword, but it was too slow and too late. The blade sliced through the right side of the man's gut, leaving a nasty gash in it's wake. The blood loss from this new wound combined with his previous injury was too much. Griffin dropped to his knees as the world went dark around him.

And the noise in the arena reached a crescendo as the victor was declared.

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"So, kind sir, please tell me what on earth that means, and I'll be out of your way."

Harker took several of the documents that had been laying on the desk and flung them before the man. From his manner and demeanor it was clear that he had read through them.

"I have all the time in the world, so don't mind taking a bit."

The moment the man on the ground saw the documents, his demeanor changed. It appeared only for a brief second, but the man's eyes showed signs of panic.

Nonetheless he was able to forcibly hide his unease.

"What's that supposed to be? Some random business expenses? Memos? Job plannings? It doesn't mean a thing."

However, he was not able to completely suppress that unease.

---

Ana
Inferno - Upper Levels, Private Residential District
The Present- Morning

"I'm not even an assassin, I'm just a pretty little distraction. You're welcome to try this but it won't end well for you - just look at your middle manager."

"-Tch"

The remaining head bodyguard glanced back and forth between Ana and the mansion. It was clear that he was not at all intimidated by what had happened to his associate. This is what they were trained for after all. However, her words were another story. How much truth was there in Ana's words? Just what was their priority here?

At that moment, a large column of grey smoke began to rise from the mansion roof. Ana knew this to be 'mission complete' sign, but for the head bodyguard, it was something else entirely. If Ana was merely a distraction, then they had no time to waste. Their highest priority was to protect their employer. And from the looks of it, someone else had managed to make it into the mansion itself. No doubt this girl's accomplice. There was no time to waste.

"Everybody fall back, into the mansion!"

Like that, the remaining bodyguards retreated, running back into the mansion to check up on their ward, freeing Ana to leave at her pleasure.



Ana
Inferno - Abandoned House
The Present- Morning

Ana made her way to the address Yuri had given her for the two of them to meet up at, should the mission go off without a hitch. She found herself standing in front of a rather derelict house, that looked like nobody had lived in for decades. Well, as recent events had proven, looks could be deceiving.

She made her way inside, no bothering to knock. And within, sitting comfortably on an ancient sofa chair was Yuri. And scattered across the floor was numerous valuables and treasures, the loot of their little caper.

Yuri gave Ana a nod as she entered.

"Not Bad."

Spoiler:

Yuri-Supernatural Thief

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno-Police Headquarters
The Present-Morning

Playing defense. That was the role that the chief had given her in this upcoming assignment.

In a way, such an assignment was laughable- she was, even after the latest turn of events, still simply a killer who had merely changed the target of her blade. A killer to kill, and a protector to protect- that was the way things should be. To reverse the roles was absurd.

So if she was to be frank, she did not think that the assignment suited her.

Nonetheless…

Meeting the chief’s gaze head on, she gave her reply.

“Yes. I am to ensure that whatever happens tomorrow, the governor remains safe; and to that end, I will give it everything I have."
"If she is harmed, then the amount of chaos that will spread throughout the city is unimaginable.”

Duty was duty. If the chief believed that this was the best course of action, then there was no room for her objections.

[Frantic Author]

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"My friend," Harker admonished, tapping on the papers in front of the duo, "You and I both know full well that these documents are more then simple business. Troop movements, equipment, surveillance... It seems to me like quite a bit of what goes on in your life is a tad on the darker side of things!"

Looking through the papers once more, and seeing the code that he had so slowly unraveled, it was hard for the man to bite back a sigh. Inferno was truly a haven for sinners, even if they did not wish to sin. So it wasn't quite all that bad for him, in the end, to have sinned in order to save them. A man with no particularly noteworthy qualities, or innate combat skills, who desperately wanted everyone to be saved. A foolish, idealistic dream that could never truly be fulfilled - in order to save someone, someone else must be sacrificed. Sacrifice ten to save a hundred. Sacrifice a hundred to save a thousand. It was an endlessly increasing scale, but that ridiculous, weak part inside of his soul shouted more strongly then anything in his being --

-- Why can't everyone be saved?

An innate character flaw. That is the essence of Ashley Harker - someone who couldn't comprehend why not everyone could be saved. Why some people are worse then others, or better then others. Why he shook hands with a devil in order to save everyone.

He smiled at the man once more. "Fear not, sir. It is clear that I have attacked you for this information, so you would be in no worries of repercussions. All I wish to do is save everyone there."

Everyone.

From the guests to the butchers who crafted the scenario.

From the slaves to the smugglers who captured them.

Everyone.

"While it may not mean much to you," he began softly, looking at the horrors that were revealed in the papers before him, "I truly do believe that this city is worth saving. And so is everyone in it. Even you, for all your flaws, deserve better then the life dealt to you by Eden. All I wish to do is help every person in this place live a happy life. Is that so wrong?"

A peaceful, happy existence. Where everyone can live in harmony, and no one is hurt. It's an idealistic dream, more of a fantasy then anything else. In the eyes of the mad, however, it appears totally natural and achievable - and so Harker sought to achieve it. Not because of madness, or anything such as that; simply because he believed it was the right thing to do.

Naive, some might say. A foolish idealistic sort of thing, others would cry. An impossibility, most would declare. But to him, it was everything. It was the reason the sun rose in the morning and sank in the evening. It was the reason that the sky was blue and the seas were as well. It's simply the sort of person he was, a complete and absolute idiot in the middle of the city of sin itself. Even as the world declared him to be a liar, he only smiled kindly at it and asked for it to try once more. Perhaps this time, they would get it right.

It's not wrong to be kind, nor is it incorrect to dream of heroism. But Harker had fallen much further then most, even in Inferno. Not physically or emotionally, or in any way that could really be seen. For to him, both of those things were not considered "something it's not wrong to be", but "something that must absolutely be achieved". To be a hero. To be kind. To be noble to the ignoble. To be just to the unjust. The natural order of things was obvious.

"So if you wouldn't mind so terribly explaining to me the location of such an event, please say so. I only wish to save everyone."

[Zurvan]

"Ah right, the test, the test, I suppose that would be the thing you're currently wondering about the most. That makes sense after all."

"It's nothing to be overly concerned with. In a way, you can think of it as more like an initiation ritual. I've already told you about what we do right? We take what we want, when we want, thanks to our power and strength. And what's the purpose of the test? To see if you're qualified to be one of us. In other words, to see if you can do what we do."

"With that in mind, what do you think the test is like?"

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"Well, if its a test to see if I've got what it takes, then I guess it'll be fine."

Asher beamed a confident smile to Ash, until his expression turned a little sour.

"But mhmmm, what the test would be like, it could be a number of things couldn't it? It could be a robbery to take some high value item, or perhaps a show of strength to whoever's dumb enough to go against us."

He lifted his glass, shaking the contents ever so slightly, and continued in an irreverent tone.

"Or maybe..."

"My test will be, sending a message"

He took a sip from his freshly acquired drink.

"There is that big speech today after all, presented by the very Governor of Inferno"

'Then again, I don't really have a clue how these things go"

[Tangerang]

Theola August
Inferno-Police Headquarters
The Present-Morning

“Yes. I am to ensure that whatever happens tomorrow, the governor remains safe; and to that end, I will give it everything I have."
"If she is harmed, then the amount of chaos that will spread throughout the city is unimaginable.”

The chief stared into Theola's eyes, testing her resolve. Eventually, he leaned back and gave a small nod of approval.

"I know it's not exactly your preferred style, and while I can't exactly say I approve of your methods, I'll acknowledge your prowess and results. This is why I chose you for this task. It is the responsibility of the strong. Remember this."

He grabbed a folder on his desk, and tossed it over at Theola. Inside were various maps of the city with routes drawn on them to safehouses.

He looked over at the clock, gave a small shrug and then stood up and walked over to put on his coat.

"Memorize that and then let me know when you're ready to go. We have some time to spare and there are some things that need to be taken care of."

"...It's probably better to bring your squad too. Make sure to notify them."

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"So if you wouldn't mind so terribly explaining to me the location of such an event, please say so. I only wish to save everyone."

"..."

The man clamped up. It would appear that he realized that no threats he made would deter the man in front of him. There was also no reason for him to give him any information that he so desired. So he stayed silent.

Sooner or later, this stalemate would break.

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"There is that big speech today after all, presented by the very Governor of Inferno"

'Then again, I don't really have a clue how these things go"

Ash winced at those words.

"That, my friend, would be far too much attention of the wrong kind. There wouldn't be much benefit in it, and would only serve to make things more difficult for everyone afterwards. No, for that, we'll just go monitor it but honestly I suspect it'll be pretty boring and uneventful. All the big factions among both the Night Parade and Seven Sins are in agreement on this."

"Anyway, to be clear, like I said, what we do is simply take what we want to take, with that strength of ours. That's it. In other words, I want to see if you're capable of accomplishing that, if you have the mindset and strength to carry off an overwhelming in plain daylight theft. The specifics of the items and whatnot aren't that important."

[Bird of Hermes]

Ana
Inferno - Abandoned House
The Present- Morning

"Eh, not my best work." Ana replied making her way over to the sofa chair beside Yuri. "Though I have to say you may have outdone yourself with this pretty little haul."

She wasn't wrong, Ana wasn't much of an actress these days and hadn't fooled the guards. Likewise when things went violent, she could have been more efficient but she did stall them. She wasn't to truly fool them or kill them and she made sure Yuri's group had all the time they needed. Technically it was a win but it didn't quiet have the satisfaction that it should have Ana pondered for a moment thinking what could have happened if she had brought out her little pets earlier; more bloodshed and heightened security as a result of the alert but although it certainly would have felt better, it would have been counter productive. A girl had to eat and beggars couldn't be choosers.

"It mixed things up playing the dumb bimbo acting up for daddy's attention but making a mess wouldn't have been the best thing for you."

Rolling her head, Ana slumped down onto the arm rest of the sofa so she was perched right beside Yuri.

"But then again it's always nice to do things for a pretty girl."

Diverting her eyes away from the thief, Ana turned to the swag that Yuri had pilfered all laid out nicely in an erratic and disorderly manner, the loot being the reason behind the job in the first place and therefore one of the main orders of business.

"So were you looking for anything in particular from the rich boy or were you just stashing all the good stuff?"

[Frantic Author]

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"Haah," Harker sighed, looking at the man with pity. "I have no interest in harming you, you do know this. I do not wish to hurt anyone. I do not wish to fall to the levels that the likes of you and yours have."

His expression hardened.

"But simply because you wish for me to have to harm you in order to achieve my goals, does not mean I must. I can leave here, giving these documents to the authorities, and still go on my way. Keep in mind the only thing I desire is to save those that you have taken from their families, and have sentenced to a life of misery and pain. These are..."

He tapped the documents with a free hand, twirling the metal pole in his right. "Irrelevant to me. This is simply new information that your organization has sunk to depths and depravity that I could not imagine in my wildest dreams. If you will not tell me where to find these victims, then I will simply take my leave and attack your compound with all the might the police of this city has to offer. Even if some may be corrupt, what other options will they have when they see these files? What other recourse may they take other then to follow my lead and assault you directly?"

To be a hero.

That was Harker's only dream. To be kind to the unkind, noble to the ignoble - things that are completely and absolutely dangerous to the ordinary person. But Harker was in no way an ordinary person; he was a man forged in the hellfires that seep through every pore of this city, and it was only right that he stood before this man as he was, and not as the man believed he would be. Picking up the file before him, he tucked it away inside of his jacket, a blank look on his face.

"Get up. I will have you look me in the eye as you tell me your answer."

Harker's magic, the unfathomable power that dwelt within his soul, lifted off the man, as he stared at him with eyes of fire. Spinning the metal in his hand once more, he held it in front of him with a deep breath, eyes closed for but a moment.

"Will you lay down on the floor, allowing others to walk all over you? Will you allow your city to fall to despair simply for the promise of a brighter tomorrow for just yourself? This city is dying. You know it. I know it. The documents, and the knowledge we both have of what your organization is doing tells us so."

The man held the metal rod in front of him like it was a sword, his eyes blazing as he looked at the member of the Seven Sins prostrating before him.

"Get up. Will you stand, or will you die like a dog? If words fail us, then all we have is violence. You and yours have used violence to control too many, and if violence must be the answer, then so be it. I will fight. For you, for those you oppress, for those above you who are oppressed. If God desires to crush the world beneath his heel, then I am the thorn in the foot of God. This city may be dying, but I refuse to let it die without a fight."

Ashley Harker was a man of few talents. The only true talent he had was the most dangerous one of all.

You see, Ashley Harker was a master of that innocuous, innocent little seed that sits inside everyone. That quiet danger that a king knows can exist inside his populace. That small fire that a general knows can turn the tide of war. The light that exists at the end of every dark tunnel.

Harker was a person who truly, with all his being, had nurtured that seed for his entire life. Until such a small, innocent thing grew into a tree so large and massive that not even a slew of foresters could ever chop it down.

After all, it's ever-so-difficult to extinguish something as intangible as hope.

[Mooncake]

Stray Dog
Inferno-Underworld Coliseum
The Present-Morning


It was too easy.

Always, too easy by far.

He wasn't alive until he could feel the blood rushing through his heart,pulling his muscles, burning in his veins. The only thing he had left to do was think.

He'd made one mistake that could have killed him here, by going into the air. He'd let his opponent pick up his weapon once more, which was unacceptable. Even if he was dead, even though Stray Dog had won without a scratch...

He would learn, like he always did.

Stray Dog waited until the light left Griffin's eyes before pulling the sword out of his chest, the jagged edges sawing through the larger man's flesh. A moment later he held the man's head aloft for the crowd.

Hate.

He hated every single one of them.

[Zurvan]

Ash winced at those words.

"That, my friend, would be far too much attention of the wrong kind. There wouldn't be much benefit in it, and would only serve to make things more difficult for everyone afterwards. No, for that, we'll just go monitor it but honestly I suspect it'll be pretty boring and uneventful. All the big factions among both the Night Parade and Seven Sins are in agreement on this."

"Anyway, to be clear, like I said, what we do is simply take what we want to take, with that strength of ours. That's it. In other words, I want to see if you're capable of accomplishing that, if you have the mindset and strength to carry off an overwhelming in plain daylight theft. The specifics of the items and whatnot aren't that important."

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"No political messaging or a show of strength, but a robbery for all to see. Very well, I'm not exactly the type to sneak around anyway."

Asher's drink returns back to his lips after he finishes. Taking a sip once again, the expression on his face changed from his casual grin to one more puzzled.

"I must say however, that I'm surprised. I didn't expect to hear that both the Night Parade and the Sevens Sins organizations are actually in agreement on something.
Does that happen often, and if so, what are these agreements?"

When you find yourself among unfamiliar faces, it's important to know where the lines are drawn, to know where it's safe to thread, and to know how order and balance are maintained.

Most people would never dare thread past the lines, even as criminals there's a limit to how far you can go, how far the lines can be moved, or how far you can beyond them.
There are rules in every situation, and balance must be maintained to keep what order is left intact, even in a place like the Inferno.

However, if the Inferno never changes, if it can't be escaped by truly trying to do good, the balance that's being kept is meaningless.

Perhaps, in order to go beyond the Inferno, the current balance needs to be broken.

Perhaps, in order to go up in this world, others need to go down.

And perhaps, in order for a dream to flourish, chaos must rear its head.

[Satehi]

Theola August
Inferno-Police Headquarters
The Present-Morning

Theola did not back away from the chief’s stare in the slightest. If what the man was looking for with his eyes were traces of doubt, hesitation, or indecision, then there was nothing she had to hide- he would not find any trace of it here.

Even if she did not like the role that she had been assigned, her statement just now had contained no falsehoods- she could understand the weight of the duty that she had been asked.

“I will make sure that your trust in my abilities is not misplaced, sir.”

That was all she had to say in response to his reminder.

Rising from her seat, Theola picked up the documents handed to her. She wasted no time in dedicating herself to the task of memorizing the information held within. At the first sight of trouble, it would be her task to choose the most appropriate routes to lead the governor out of danger. The more familiar she was with the various locations, the more reliably she could make the right call- which was not limited simply to the lines drawn here on paper.

After all, Theola had been born and raised here. The layout of its streets, the quick shortcuts- things that were hard to capture on paper had been embedded in her brain through years of experience, a fact that would no doubt also hold true for any of their pursuers. Using that knowledge flexibly could prove to be key to carrying out the task she had been given.

“Finished.”

Having poured through them at high speed, Theola dumped the documents back on the desk. Perhaps it was her aforementioned familiarity with the streets of Inferno, or perhaps it was due to her own ability, but the task of memorizing the documents had not taken her very long.

“I’ll call them over and get them up to speed.”

[Tangerang]

Ana
Inferno - Abandoned House
The Present- Morning

"So were you looking for anything in particular from the rich boy or were you just stashing all the good stuff?"

Yuri tilted her head to the side as she thought of how to best respond to Ana's inquiry.

"Probably closer to the latter I would say. While a rather fruitful harvest, it wasn't exactly my main objective. Just a nice side benefit."

She leaned back deeper into her sofa and looked at the ceiling as she mused over the results.

"I have to say, the results were pretty satisfactory, either way. Mmmmm..."

She sat up and looked Ana in the eyes.

"I guess you could call this a test trial. I'm actually have something much bigger planned, but it's something I got to build up to, you know? See if my skills are up to the task, etc etc..."

"Looking for a potential partner. I'm a solo act by nature, but this is probably too big to pull off alone."

---

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"But simply because you wish for me to have to harm you in order to achieve my goals, does not mean I must. I can leave here, giving these documents to the authorities, and still go on my way. Keep in mind the only thing I desire is to save those that you have taken from their families, and have sentenced to a life of misery and pain. These are... Irrelevant to me. This is simply new information that your organization has sunk to depths and depravity that I could not imagine in my wildest dreams. If you will not tell me where to find these victims, then I will simply take my leave and attack your compound with all the might the police of this city has to offer. Even if some may be corrupt, what other options will they have when they see these files? What other recourse may they take other then to follow my lead and assault you directly?"

At these words, the man pinned to the ground showed a reaction. A cold sweat broke across his body. That was an outcome the man had to absolutely avoid at all costs.

Even if this information was useless and incomprehensible to the man, if he brought it to the police... and told them where he obtained it...

Julius did no tolerate failure very kindly, especially of this scale.

"Get up. Will you stand, or will you die like a dog? If words fail us, then all we have is violence. You and yours have used violence to control too many, and if violence must be the answer, then so be it. I will fight. For you, for those you oppress, for those above you who are oppressed. If God desires to crush the world beneath his heel, then I am the thorn in the foot of God. This city may be dying, but I refuse to let it die without a fight."

The pressure was released from the man, but he made no move. His mind was racing through all the possible outcomes available to him.

Attacking had already proven to have a low chance of success.

Letting him go with the documents was out of the question.

But as for the information he requested...

The man sat up.

"Let's calm down... you wanted to learn about the 'vanishings' right?"

"As for their location... I actually have no idea. Honest. It wasn't related to my 'job', so I wasn't privy to any of the details. I only knew about it's existence in the general sense."

"I can tell you the tidbits I've gleamed, but in exchange I want you gone and I don't ever want to see you again. And of course you don't bring any of this information to the authorities. If they got involved, it would be... to the determent of everybody, if you understand what I'm saying."

---

Asher Bharrant
Inferno-Jolly Fool's Bar
The Present-Morning

"I must say however, that I'm surprised. I didn't expect to hear that both the Night Parade and the Sevens Sins organizations are actually in agreement on something.
Does that happen often, and if so, what are these agreements?"

Ash frowned. "No they aren't common in the slightest. In fact, this is the first time in my memory that something like this has every happened. But then again, this is also the first time that a member of the Council of Seven has so publicly announced when and where they would be. And so out in the open too. It almost feels like some sort of bait."

"And honestly, what good would it do us to kill her? Considering she's only one of the seven. All it would do is bring down the might of military forces of the other levels of Eden. And frankly, since this new governor and the reorganization of the Inferno police force, our hands are full enough as it is. It'd practically suicide for everyone involved."

He sighed into his drink.

"I guess that's just what it takes. Even as we enemies fight and kill one another for the sake of power, if somebody suddenly threw a bomb into the room, it's in everyone's interest to defuse it.

---

Theola August
Inferno-City Streets
The Present-Morning

Theola debriefed her team as the chief had requested, made them understand the importance of the mission and the various escape routes and other information that would be needed in the worst case scenario.

Once they had fully digested the information, she sent them off to their assigned posts, and walked over to the location that the Chief told her to meet at.

He gave her a nod once he saw her. An acknowledgement of her presence, that she had arrived to where she needed to be. He then gestured for her to follow him, and turned and began walking away without a word.

[Frantic Author]

Ashley Harker
Inferno- Dragon's Den: Luxury Apartments
The Present-Morning

"Of course, sir," Harker replies with a smile, bending down to offer his hand to the man on the floor. "I have no interest but to save others, but oftentimes, we must save ourselves, correct? All I need from you is where such people are, so I can save them. From the highest of the Seven Sins to the lowest of the totem pole, everyone deserves to be saved."

He looked at the man with pity, leaning the metal against his face as he stared at a person who until previously hated him with a fire and fervor of a thousand suns. His voice was quiet as he spoke once more, looking at the man with eyes filled with nothing but a desire to help.

"Are you quite certain that you do not wish to be saved as well? Simply say the word."

It's a foolish question.

Ridiculous in every way. No rational person would ever accept such an offer, because at its core, especially in this city, there is always the likelihood of them being a liar. The chance that Harker would ignore everything that he was told and go immediately to the authorities was there. The chance that Harker was simply lying was there as well. And yet...

In his voice, in his eyes, in his very being...

It was already clear that he wasn't lying. That he truly believed, with every fiber of his being, that even this person who had hurled accusations, anger, and hatred at him was worthy of it.

"I know that I too, have sinned. I know you know this as well. I know that when I leave here you will go to your superiors and tell them that a contractor has appeared before you, has demanded information that you refused to give, and has left with this information. I know all too well that, to you who works with the Seven Sins, the concept of someone who simply wishes to help others is absurd. But... are you sure you only wish to give me this information and then to leave? That you do not wish to be free yourself?"

Freedom.

It is a concept that barely exists in Eden. Everyone is chained. Whether to an organization, or to a job, or to a drug, or even to something different entirely, everyone is chained.

"If you so wish it, I will leave you here, and ransack your apartment so it appears that a madman demanded this of you. So that your superiors will not harm you anymore then I have. But I can also save you from them."

He clenched his hand around the pole, feeling the weight against his own body.

"Please. Tell me what you know."