Basilisk Fang possessed a network of intelligence channels. They could, usually with ease, retrieve information from nearby regions with ease. One source of intrigue had recently informed them of a certain messenger that delivered messages between Clover Town and Era. This messenger was of particular value as he was a lackey shared between higher-positioned members of society. He delivered messages of all sorts it seemed and he was likely to hold a plethora of information that would prove beneficial to Basilisk Fang’s cause.
For whatever reason, Cleona was the lucky person selected for retrieving any documents or other information that the messenger might be carrying. The prospect of such a job didn’t strike the pixie as interesting or even the least bit of fun until she figured she could at least have her fun knocking around the likely-weak messenger for a bit before returning his letters to the guild master. Of course, just like last time, Elijah forced her to wear the limiter again, a device that weakened her power significantly.
Cleona set out on her task by first heading for the nearby town’s train station. She took the train and arrived in Clover Town after an uncomfortable three hour ride. Her first step in finding the messenger was to locate Basilisk Fang’s contact: a shady fellow know as Alfonso the Snake. Alfonso was a master of intrigue and had recently made his way into Basilisk Fang’s good graces by obtaining invaluable information for the guild.
One of Alfonso’s hideouts in Clover Town was the backroom of a tavern. Cleona simply entered the establishment and let herself in, though she had to supply a password (“Anaconda”) to be allowed into the backroom. Apparently, one could not be too careful in Alfonso’s line of work. Their meeting would have been the first time the pixie had met the man, and she was surprised to find that he had nothing to say about her size.
Obtaining information from Alfonso proved much easier than his title as “the Snake” had Cleona believe. When asked what he wanted in return, the man merely requested the guild’s business in the future. There was something strange about the request to the pixie. She had the creepy feeling that she would regret business with him in the future crawling up her spine, but she ignored it as over-intuitiveness getting the better of her.
Alfonso informed Cleona that the man she was seeking was resting in the very tavern they were at themselves. He kindly directed her to the messenger’s room upstairs and being the last door on the left side of the hallway. Given that they were at a public tavern, Cleona desired to be as quiet as possible with the task of retrieving the letters and flew up the stairs as subtly as she could, though it was difficult for a pixie not to attract attention.
Cleona found the room the messenger was staying and quietly let herself in, deciding not to knock. Luck was bestowed favorably on the pixie as she happened upon the messenger with his face buried in the letters, facing away from the door. Like a graceful butterfly, Cleona searched the room and found a ball with sewing needles piercing it in the corner. She carefully plucked one of the needles and set to work; that is, she took the needle and rapidly pierced the messenger’s neck before he could even yell for help. Obviously, he died rather quickly but the letters were quickly clutched by Cleona and saved the letters from any bloodstains. The messenger’s body fell back in his chair, drops of blood seeping out of his neck and forming a puddle on the ground. The pixie hoped she’d be able to at least leave town before the body was discovered.
As it turned out, the messenger was much more special than Cleona had believed at first. Based on all the letters, the pixie managed to piece together that the messenger was an official for the Royal Family. He was carrying many documents, some more important than others. The one that interested Clona the most, however, was a rather silly personal letter. It was a request letter asking any legal mages willing to be an escort for a young nobleman with an intense personality. Seeing the opportunity for some fun, Cleona just knew she’d have a ball messing with the nobleman’s emotions.
The pixie took a train over to Era where she found the home of the nobleman she was supposed to escort. He was quite young, likely just entering his twenties but seemed rather dark and annoyed at everything. He treated his servants poorly and it was too obvious that the letter wasn’t exaggerating his intense personality. Fortunately, the man didn’t mind Cleona being his special escort since, apparently, he had thing for one-foot tall women. People in Fiore were just sick at times.
After an hour of listening to the young nobleman’s emotionally-charged rants, Cleona nearly snapped at him then and there but held it in until it was time to head for the banquet. They took a private horse carriage with white horses pulling them along. The social event turned out to be some sort of fundraiser for a school for the blind. The people attending the banquet were nearly as conceited as the young nobleman, a most fitting reminder as to why Cleona couldn’t stand the upper class.
When it was time to eat, the pixie savored every moment that followed: Cleona toyed with the emotions of the man, ridiculing him for lamenting his own mother’s death. She pointed out every personality flaw he had, specifically his emotional vulnerability. The young nobleman reacted with rage and ending up flipping the banquet table. The whole situation was utterly hilarious to the pixie. After listening to the hysteria, Cleona left the banquet and headed back for the guild hall to deliver the letters she had acquired.
WC: 988/900
PC: 1/1
