RWBYFanon v5

RPG World of Remnant => The Vale Region => Topic started by: Riven on March 24, 2018, 05:25:36 PM

Title: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on March 24, 2018, 05:25:36 PM: The term 'black market' evokes all sorts of imagery -- clandestine backroom meetings, abandoned warehouses under moonlight, deals hashed out between crime bosses over cigars and whiskey. In some places these images would have been perfectly reasonable, expected even... but not in Vale. In prim and proper Vale such arrangements would, with few exceptions, draw far too much attention... no, the way to operate effectively wasn't in the shadows, but in broad daylight behind a veneer of the mundane and accepted. A common storefront, for example, might double as both a legitimate business and a place to arrange illicit exchanges on the sly. Such was the case with Weylan's Imports: on its surface a quirky odds-and-ends shop that specialized in art and oddities from the other three kingdoms, but behind the knickknacks and strangely designed lamps lay a shrewd businessman who could obtain almost anything if the lien was right.

Today he had a delivery for Amane Petrichor: a set of cutting edge Atlesian focusing lenses, military grade stuff... and a little something extra, passed to him through the grapevine. The only problem was, he could never seem to remember what she looked like between visits; old Weylan wasn't sure if she just had 'that kind' of face or if his memory was starting to go as he got up in years. In fact he didn't even recognize her as she walked in.

"Ah, yes miss. Welcome to Weylon's Imports. How can I help you today, hm?"
Title: .
Post by: . on March 25, 2018, 06:13:20 AM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on March 31, 2018, 05:44:40 PM: “Hi, I’m here for your recent shipment from Atlas.”

Weylon looked up from his stock records as she spoke -- he had seen her enter, of course, but it was always wise to not be too eager when a new face walked in the door. As he did his eyes glanced at the beautiful, expensive white car parked out front of his establishment, blinking in surprise. With a ride like that this girl was surely no small fish, though as he took in her appearance he couldn't for the life of him place her. Somewhere in the back of his mind rang a dim awareness that a regular, one of his 'under the table' customers, had a car just like that one, though specifics completely eluded him.

"Ah, yes miss -- and a good afternoon to you." He put on a jovial demeanor, still slightly wary that this might be a sting of some kind. "A, ah, shipment from the cold northlands, you say? I do get deliveries from there from time to time, yes. What name would it be under?"

He knew he only had one order for Atlesian goods -- the Dust lamps, opera holovids, and model Atlesian airships he had on display had been collecting dust for months, so there was no way she was here for one of those. Still, one could never be too careful in this business; discretion was the lifeblood of smuggled goods dealing, after all.
Title: .
Post by: . on April 05, 2018, 08:17:25 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on April 10, 2018, 04:33:20 PM: The name fell on his ears like a ton of bricks and set his heart to racing -- either this was the client, which meant his memory was indeed as bad as he was coming to fear... or this girl was part of a very well-informed sting operation. The police? A rival trader? Weylon's mind ran a mile a minute as he nervously considered all the possibilities. In that time, however, the young girl in front of him offered no additional words, merely an expectant gaze. Could he really be so forgetful? He tried to memorize her face, to place it somewhere in his memory, pull up a shred of something. Nothing came. He knew he'd dealt with Amane Petrichor with some regularity, so then why...?

He sighed softly, giving up. He had no reason to think she wasn't the client, and if word got around that he was second-guessing his customers people would take their lien elsewhere. "Y-yes, my apologies miss Petrichor -- it's been a busy week and I didn't recognize you at first." He didn't recognize her at all, but saying so would only make matters worse. "One moment then."

After a quick trip into the back room Weylon returned with a small, discreet, unlabeled box. "For the record, I have no idea what these are or where they came from, officially speaking... and what you do with them is your business, not mine. If anyone asks, you never came in here and I," He tried not to look embarrassed as he said the next words. "I've, um, never seen you before in my life. Oh! One more thing."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a collapsed Scroll and placed it on the table. "My, er..., friends in the business sent this along with your order. Said it was from a dealer who wanted to do business with you -- no details beyond that. Personally it seems a little shady to me, but I was paid well to make sure it made it into your hands; you can toss it in the bin on the way out if you'd rather not take any risks. Up to you, ma'am."

If Amane decided to open the Scroll she would find it virtually empty: no apps, no CCTN browser, just one lone name in the contact list -- 'The Lady', with a note saying "Call me"...
Title: .
Post by: . on April 10, 2018, 05:48:41 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on April 21, 2018, 06:43:14 PM: "Y-yes, certainly." He smiled nervously, not quite sure how to take her comment. The ship models were rung up quickly and bagged. "Your total comes to..." He glanced at a records book, just to make sure. "2650 lien, since you prepaid for the, er, special order. Any other goods I can look into for you, miss Petrichor?"

(OOC: I'm using this (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ItsAlsoAGun/permalink/1639022502819588/) for lien values, since there isn't yet anything canonically established. Basically the two models cost around $20 USD each, which is pretty average for model kits overall. Figured you'd appreciate the frame of reference.)
Title: .
Post by: . on April 21, 2018, 07:05:16 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on April 23, 2018, 05:33:42 PM: S C E N E ~ M U S I C
Transient (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk-925HK47w)
by Synkro

The Scroll rang exactly three times, exactly to the measure, before 'The Lady' picked up. The voice on the other end was feminine but distorted sounding, as though run through a synthesizer and remixed to strip away all sense of music from the voice -- what remained was a skeleton of tone and timbre accented with a dull echo and a dry electric crackle deep in its undertones. The effect was at once mysterious and impersonal, nevertheless there was no menace in it.

"Thank you for making this call, miss Petrichor. I'm known as the Lady of a Thousand Faces, and we have similar interests in, shall we say, the procurement of hard to come by goods. I was wondering if you might be willing in doing a little work for me. I promise fair pay for moderate risk, and you won't even have to leave Vale. What's more, you can keep half of what we'd be acquiring. Are you interested?"
Title: .
Post by: . on April 25, 2018, 10:35:39 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on May 13, 2018, 09:15:13 AM: "A fine offer, though like yourself I prefer to remain largely anonymous in my dealings. On that note, I must commend you -- finding any sort of information on you has proven remarkably difficult, miss Petrichor, and I pride myself on being well informed." The voice on the other end paused, as if deliberating. "For many reasons I cannot meet you in person, at least not yet. However, I respect your preference for a face-to-face. Would you consider meeting another in my place? She is a trusted contact: discreet, capable, and empowered to speak on my behalf."
Title: .
Post by: . on June 05, 2018, 04:07:55 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on June 12, 2018, 12:21:00 PM: "Wonderful. You'll know her by the symbol -- my symbol -- that she bears: a single drop of blood, worn in the form of small ruby earrings. Just let me know the address and I'll see that she meets you where and when you wish."

Some Time Later...

It had been a long time since Maria had walked around in Vale. The kingdom, known for its peaceful and balanced disposition, wasn't exactly rife with opportunity the way Mistral or Vacuo were... still, it was a far cry from the stern and insular nature of Atlas, to be sure. She'd kept herself to nondescript, business-casual attire, embracing short sleeves and pants with open seams that went halfway up her lower legs to make the most of the day's late-spring warmth -- a good day for gelato indeed. Thin-frame sunglasses rested on the curve of her nose, dimly reflecting the hustle and bustle around her as she navigated the streets and sidewalks. And of course, a subtle pair of teardrop-shaped rubies hung one to each ear. She put out a cigarette beneath her flat-heeled shoe as she spotted the gelato place up ahead, a soft smile gracing her lips.

It was time to meet "the invisible girl".
Title: .
Post by: . on June 23, 2018, 12:16:28 AM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on June 27, 2018, 05:56:39 PM: Mozetti's Gelato struck Maria as a quiet, local place that was just a hint out of the way -- known by people from the area but not heavily trafficked, subtle without seeming covert, and with just enough of a crowd so that if the deal went sideways miss Petrichor could ensure Maria wouldn't try anything unpleasant. She had to give the girl credit, this clearly wasn't her first meet-and-greet.

Stepping inside, she glanced around and quickly spotted the only other woman in the room. Unless Amane was among those outside, or a master of disguise, this was her. A pleasant smile and a wave, as if greeting a friend, was cover for Maria doing her utmost to memorize every detail of her potential-accomplice's appearance... not knowing, unfortunately, that such an effort would be completely futile. Ordering a small cherry-vanilla in a dish, the understated young woman brought her ice cream over to where Amane was seated. "Miss Petrichor, I assume? I'm Julia Garnet, here on behalf of the Haema Foundation." Maria brushed away the hair from one ear so that her earring would be clearly visible, then extended her hand for a handshake.
Title: .
Post by: . on June 29, 2018, 04:47:32 AM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on July 08, 2018, 07:35:50 PM: It was her, then. Maria felt a small moment of satisfaction at meeting such an elusive character. The truth was, she'd been interested in Amane for some time -- in a world where her information brokering provided a clear picture of many who's-who's, stumbling across the trail of someone who left no record of their appearance was both startling and thrilling. Putting the pieces together had started as a mere business curiosity, wanting to make sure she wasn't missing anything or anyone in her considerations, but it had gradually become more of a... a hobby, honestly. It was like trying to solve a detective story. How "the invisible girl" she keep such a low profile while operating in a world where info was often more valuable than money, while studying at Beacon no less? Was Amane an ace hacker, or connected to one? In some sort of strange witness protection scheme turned freelance operation? Did her Semblance turn her literally invisible? There were easily a dozen or more questions Maria wanted to ask in that moment as she took and warmly shook Amane's offered hand... but none were appropriate to the moment, and most revealed far too much of her own interest to be suitable for business.

"A pleasure to meet you, Amane. My employer is a big fan of your work. According to her, you're quite the artist." Taking the seat opposite Amane, she put her ice cream down on the table and then placed a small, high-tech looking disc-shaped device down next to it. The tap of a button and a green light in the center lit up. "Ah, much better. This," She gestured to the contraption. "Is a privacy field generator. It acts a bit like noise cancelling, except that instead of nullifying sound it scrambles it according to pre-programmed algorithms. Anyone more than a few feet away will think I'm interviewing you in a vaguely Vacuan-sounding language, thus allowing us to discuss the matter at hand without risk of eavesdropping. Just act like it's an academic interview, please." She scooped up a spoonful of gelato, finding she quite enjoyed the taste. "I must say, you certainly know your frozen treats, Ms. Petrichor."

Reaching into her pocket, she produced several high-value Lien cards and placed them discreetly in reach of Amane. "This is thanks for meeting with me, especially on such short notice. The Lady of a Thousand Faces is a firm believer in establishing good rapport with everyone she does business with, so that's yours to keep regardless of whether or not you accept the job."

"Now, I'm sure you have questions." Maria brought another delicious spoonful to her lips, savoring it a moment before adding. "Feel free."
Title: .
Post by: . on July 14, 2018, 10:19:42 PM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on July 18, 2018, 12:34:05 PM: Maria couldn't help but be impressed by Amane's language skills -- at first she'd worried that the device was malfunctioning, but Amane really was fluent, it seemed. A talented young woman, to be sure. "You could say I do a little bit of everything; arrangements, book keeping, acquisitions, enforcement, whatever The Lady has need of. She's chiefly in the business of connections, you see, bringing together those seeking opportunity with those seeking talent. I'm sure you get the picture." She continued to savor the crimson-and-white treat as she spoke. "In this particular case she has a client whose interests lie right here in Vale... and she believes that local talent would suit the job best."

"As I understand it, you're a student at Beacon, yes? Tell me, what do you know about a recent addition to the staff... one Budonoki Sophos?"
Title: .
Post by: . on July 20, 2018, 02:43:26 AM: .
Title: Re: A Walk In The Shadows (Inex, CLOSED)
Post by: Riven on July 23, 2018, 01:21:32 PM: Maria smiled, a particular kind of a smile that suggested that Amane had struck upon a subject of interest. "Oh, I already know a great deal -- everything that's public knowledge, and some things of a more discreet nature." She pulled out a small Scroll-like data pad and handed it to Amane. "There are certain individuals with interest in his research, particularly an experimental healing salve he's believed to have produced. This list of equipment and ingredients was pulled off the LifeWeave company's server's recently, and The Lady believes it relates to his work on the salve. Trouble is, the list appears to be incomplete -- Budonoki is acquiring certain ingredients through his company and others elsewhere."

Moving her desert to one side, Maria intertwined her hands so that her index fingers were pointing upwards. "As it stands, the list is worthless; a lab would likely run through an obscene amount of tests and formulations before they created anything of worth. It can't be sold unless the complete recipe can be acquired. That, Amane, is where we'd like your help." At the word 'your', Maria's hands turned so that her pointed fingers were directed at Amane.

"As a student, you can interact with the professor without arousing suspicion. We need to know where he keeps his research data. Once we know we can move to acquire it. For your part in all of this The Lady is offering one third of the formula's sale price -- bidding will start at seven million, so you're assured of a healthy payout. If you'd like to negotiate on top of that, I have permission to do so." That hint of a cheshire cat smile returned as she added. "Are you in?"
Title: .
Post by: . on July 24, 2018, 04:22:49 AM: .