Vintermyr was a unique location- one hidden away and fitting for the meeting about to take place. The guildmaster of Black Rose had sent out letters to fellow guildmates, various allies, and other unknown individuals who seemed promising.
All she had to do was wait. They would be here by nightfall, as she asked by her letter. That is, if they accepted the invitation. Since she returned from the Enenra’s realm and the Spooky Forest, the yokai was ready to begin furthering her guilds influence. They would reach their goals; she was done with running away and avoiding what was necessary.
Everyone joined a magical guild for a reason. Some, to simply make money by use of their magic. For others, to grow stronger. When one wanted to grow stronger, however, there was usually another goal, sometimes one that some could never have expected. To protect ones they love, to avenge loved ones, or to seek revenge on past wrongs-- the list went on.
For the guildmaster, her goals no longer mattered. She had first sought to get revenge on the goddess of ice that had massacred her past home-- a humble human village. Now, however, she wanted nothing more than to protect the guild that had entrusted her with the position of leader.
Meeting goals, however, required resources, and the mononoke wanted every resource possible to give to her fellow guildmates. That was the reason this smaller faction of the guild was being created. It was not for the faint of heart, or just anyone, but only for those who had proven loyalty, and were dedicated to helping the guild grow, and their guildmates meet their goals- whatever those may be.
Sitting gracefully on a large boulder in a frosty Vintermyr meadow, the Bakedanuki assumed a Kitsune form-- retaining her pink-dyed hair only. Her ears and tail took a sharper, less rounded shape, and her fur was no longer silver, but reddish gold. The tint of her eyes also changed to a golden hue. T’was a harder transformation, but nothing that Izayuki could not maintain for at least one night. Her magical presence and scent would remain the same, for anyone who knew her. The Black Rose guildmark was ever present on the back of her left shoulder. All she had to do now was wait.
[Posts can be short or long-- just post an arrival. After a few days to a week, I'll reply again. If you haven't posted then, don't worry; late arrivals are welcome. c: ]
The slight sting in the air caused by the pure chill never really impressed Kiru. She much preferred warmer weather as opposed to the kind that Vintermyr was used too, especially after her last misadventure in the frozen forest with a fairy tail mage. She had her fill of the cold, and would rather put the whole experience behind her. However, it didn’t appear that would be allowed to happen just yet. Something big was about to happen, and it was important that Kiru was present for it.
The demon slayer walked out of the shadowy treeline wearing her black, blue lined winter parka. Her hood covering her twin colored hair and her hands stuffed in her pockets. A usual blank look on the girl’s face. There she saw the guildmaster, taking on one of her many forms upon the frozen rock. It seemed as if Kiru was the first to arrive on the scene. Not that it mattered, she had already known what Izayuki was preparing to announce for some time now.
The cold air reflected on Kiru’s breath as she sighed and looked up to her old friend. “I hope our timing is prudent. I do not know how the rest of the guild will react when the news is delivered.” Kiru said before turning to the treeline. “I suppose it would’ve been a matter of time anyways.”
Shooting stars were not a strange sight, especially around the child of them. With that came a looming presence of gold and warmth, which was what held Desirée in her comfort through the snow-ridden forest. Seven shooting stars shot through the skies of Vintermyr, these stars being beautiful living creatures in the alignment of Black Rose. Three mages, four pets, it was as if they were a v-shaped arrangement of power and warmth, each a different bird with a different story and purpose for their actions. Everyone had a purpose, similar to how everyone had a reason to join the guild of Black Rose. She thought about this as she flew through the skies with her two friends, her hands occupied with the smaller of the two. She was holding Sakura rather tightly, as she did not want to drop her from the heights they were flying. After all, now that she was no longer a regular human and summoner, she was able to do things like her mentor could do, such as being able to take flight. Four beams of rainbows and shimmer burst out her hands and feet as she flew across the dim-lit skies, the only things illuminating them being the shooting stars that were the beings flying through.
Desirée had her reasons for joining Black Rose, which were mixed in regards to what was shown and what was not in her daily life. She was a lonely wanderer through the forests and cities alike before she had joined, the only thing keeping her from withdrawing from the man-made world being her musical career. She simply adored nature, which sprouted from the first guild she had ever been in- Summoner's Stone. It was a small and independent guild, and while she was small at the time, she was considered an Ace there as well. The "Ace of Swans" is what the members referred to her as, because of her beauty and grace in her younger ages. This, of course, carried into her future as well, now that she was a stunning idol to bring peace and joy to all that respected her presence. Since she roamed the world alone after the fall of this guild, she longed for a similar friendship to something she had in the past, as well as a way to live out Lele's wish to the best of her extent. Her master always wanted her to go to one of the larger guilds and showcase her talents, almost so that she could rise and make one as her own. This was just a wish, not a command, but it was a dream in the eyes of the now Ace of Diamonds. She joined for peace and solidarity, in hopes to find and live out something similar to what she had with all her past guild members. It was unfortunate that they were all dead now, especially due to what caused their perish- but it was something she could not control. She wanted her father to pay for his actions, but that could only come so quickly. She wanted him to suffer, she wanted him to feel the pain that she watched her best friends feel as they slowly faded into ashes of the burning guild hall, but there was only one thing that stood in the way of this; her heart.
There were multiple other aspects as to why she joined Black Rose, some of which were more "self-centered" in the eyes of others. Her fame was a large aspect, nearly overshadowing her reason as to Lele's wish. She felt like her musical success would skyrocket even more then it did naturally by joining, in which she was correct. Her talented image grew more and more in the eyes of the consumer, and with that, her magical vibrancy that a mage would possess. Every successful musician typically shared the same goal to be the most successful in the industry, even Desirée. It allowed the ability to live a lavish lifestyle, along with having fun in putting out new music for those to enjoy. She wished to be the face of the music industry, which was dream that seemed to be coming closer and closer into reality. She had many of these dreams, but this was one of the more prevalent dreams; something she always was working harder to achieve.
Her normal appearance, being white and modern style, was now replaced with an entirely different style of clothing. It was very reminiscent of something one would wear in the older times, such as The Salem Witch Trials, which was much darker in color. She was now in an all black and orange getup, her body being developed in a very baggy yet sleek poncho of black colors along with ribbons that matched along with a bright orange exterior. Her head was covered with a large hat that matched this theme just the same, along with a pair of black tights and small shoes. She didn't look like how she typically did, which was the point of this outfit, considering she was not one to be suspected going to a meeting like this one. Being an Ace of the guild, she was informed about this before the other members, which was certainly a useful thought to know of before arrival. She thought that it was a bit strange concept, yet she did not question, considering she was absolutely one to follow the guild through whatever they wished to do. As long as her image would not be tarnished by the public, she would be fine with whatever they wished to do, and would stick with them to the very end.
"This is the location, I am going to begin descent." the rising star told the party following beside her, as she began to tilt her body in the air downwards before cutting back the flow of the rainbows propelling her forward. As she eventually made it down to the surface of the ground, her feet landed in the snow and sent a chill down her spine, as it seemed to be much colder at the surface. She saw standing in-front of her what appeared to be her guild master and another ace, Izayuki and Kiru. They both looked similar and different since the last time she had seen them, but it was understandable. She had went through a lot since then, as she had died in the span of that time, which was bittersweet to think about. This would be the first time her guild mates, besides Jiyu and Sakura, would find out about what changed her life- including her humanity. On the outside she appeared to look nearly the same, only supporting different clothing and a darker color of blonde than she had once before, but on the inside she had changed significantly. She placed Sakura on the ground beside her after giving her a warm hug and watched the rest of the pets land beside her, Kiwi and Strawberry beginning to levitate toward each of her shoulders as if they were a throne for each to reign from.
"It seems like we are some of the first to arrive, as we typically are, Kiru." she told her fellow ace, as she reached into the pocket of her poncho and sifted around the contents inside. Her iLac was there, yet that was not what she needed at this moment. After reaching in deeper, she finally found the two objects she needed most at the moment; her lighter, and her cigarettes. She removed one from the box and proceeded to light it, cupping her hand around the side that the wind was coming toward to prevent the flame from being put out. She looked toward her guild master and proceeded to bow to her, something she had barely got the occasion to do since Halloween. Desirée wished she was able to learn more about her guild master, as she never exactly got the occasion to get to know her as she did Lele. However, she did hold utmost respect for her as she did her old master, something that she knew was necessary by default. However, she did not want to start a large conversation with her at the moment, because she knew there was information that needed to be shared.
She watched her breath as she let the smoke release from her mouth, the tobacco-smoke being changed into a rainbow-gold glowing haze of opaque color that quickly faded into the surrounding air. It was an effect from the starfall, something that was rather strange yet beautiful, as were all of her spells. She was no longer a summoner, something that the guild would possibly find strange. She was no longer a human, which the guild would most likely find most shocking of all.
She was now Diamond, a Crystal, just like all of her previous summons.
Haley entered Vintermyr through the skies despite the bitter chill that washes over her upon her entry, but when the guild mistress herself calls in the members, she has to heed the call. The black silhouette of the crow flew gracefully before plummeting down as it shifted and changed into that of a woman.
Haley stood in the cold, but in the warm midst of members she knows, whether well or not the barmaid has seen their face. Haley rubbed her hands together as she felt the snow tickled her skin. An idea pops into her head and a suitcase appears, before opening it up and entering it like a magician on the streets, before reappearing soon with some marshmallows and a portable spit that lit itself on fire and with that, Haley started roasting marshmallows in the presence of a warm fire with only her head out from the suitcase.
Now that she thought about it the guild mistress could have asked to borrow her suitcase to hold this meeting and save the hassle from the cold and the need to find somewhere secretive.
The imaginary walls of time and pressure started drawing closer and closer as the young White Witch walked through the streets of Rose Garden, night slowly yet surely approaching. She had been invited to Vintermyr, the newest location of Black Rose. A discovery that was made by a group of mages she was supposed to join a while back. An adventure she was looking forward to more than most things in her blank and colorless life. Unfortunately, she was unable to do so due to her health once again acting up. She even barely visited her home these days, the walls and floor covered in a black inky substance that she would start coughing up whenever something was wrong. With a sigh, the young lady looked up to the skies, only to witness the radiance of starts that slowly started coming to view as Sun gave away its hold on this world and allowed the endless darkness of universe to take its place once more. “Yes, I know. It’s almost time to get going. You don’t have to worry, Seth! I have already started getting hold of this magic~.” She would speak and remark in a playful voice to a person that was not physically present in the world she was in.
A strange child with strange habits, often talking to herself even when among other people. But yet, avoiding contact with others, showing just how sheepish and shy she could be these days, it was a wonder that she managed to hold her status as a mage and member of Black Rose. After all, she was inactive in her work for so long, some would surely already kick her out. But here she was, once again ready for action. Or at least she hoped so. For some reason, her heart pounded harder and faster than before, a feeling of uncertainty running through her bones and veins. With a little sigh, she would find the nearest back alley that was clad in even more darkness that the rest of this world, an empty space where none would see and interrupt her. Not that she required such space to perform her magic, but she did not wish to startle anyone by activating the World Shift in the middle of a crowded street. It was an endeavor a bit harder than one in cities that did not become lively with the arrival of night, but still a possible one.
Finally alone, she would move her hand forward and allow the ivory white Witchree Branch to manifest in the grasp of her pale hand. It was her staff and something that she did not require for her magic but still used it all the time regardless. Even as a simple object to hold, it brought about a certain feeling of peace to the girl, especially in the harder of times. Closing her eyes, she imagined the winter-like wonderland that Vintermyr was supposed to be in her own imaginary world of non-existent, slowly allowing the world around her to warp. But such was only her inner perception, as to others, she was the one who suddenly disappeared without a trace from the Rose Garden. Through a whirlpool of magic, she would set her bare feet on a cold iron box. Around her were many skyscrapers colored in dark gray, just like the skies and the ground a long way beneath her. This faint image of a ruined futuristic city quickly faded away, as it was only a temporary world required for her transport. And now, space not too far from Izayuki and the three other members started warping and collapsing in on itself.
As if from a tiny dot in the space, she had warmed in. Her form mangled for a fraction of a second, but then becoming stable. Charlotte simply popped out of the invisible space itself and slowly glided to the ground. Because of the nature of this place, it was even colder than the world of Iron from few seconds ago, especially on the girl’s bare feet that bore no boots or even socks. But the rest of her body was quite alright, as she wore a long and puffy white dress, almost blending in with the cold surroundings. Her hair was also let loose, it’s fluffiness and length covering the girl’s entire back and then some. Clutching her staff, she looked around only to recognize all the faces. Though her gaze was averted from Desirée and her current form and actions. Instead, those white, almost dead-like eyes fixated themselves on her guild master. Unlike the majority of people currently here, she had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. And her pure and innocent nature was also something that could possibly complicate this situation ever so slightly. The White Witch would have to be treated carefully here. And for now, she said nothing at all, simply standing behind all the present members and their looming shadows.
Usually, the cold air was nothing more of a nuisance but in this case it felt somewhat suffocating. Vintermyr's climate was generally unforgiving in terms of how cold it could get. It ranged from a nice kind of weather, where you could get away with simply wearing a sweater or times similar to this where the cold seemed to seep into your bones no matter how hard you tried. Luckily, the holy mage had a safer way to travel in this cold dimension. By teleporting herself to the Treasury, Athena would be able to transport her near instantaneously. Putting on a rather cozy shawl to cover herself, she would look upon a crystal to view who was at this meeting spot. The guild master of Black Rose, Izayuki, had sent out a message to members of the guild. Whether they were specific people was unknown to the Rising Star, but upon seeing the people who had arrived, this seemed quite specific to certain people. There was a common trait within every mage who had come to this field in Vintermyr today. They were all powerful. Every guild member here was one of the finest that Black Rose had to offer. This gathering was a lot more serious than Hikari even realized.
Oh? It seems that there is a lot of familiar faces here. Her voice would resonate throughout the vast meadow and would echo as it traveled. Gold essence of magic would slowly transport Hikari into a spot on the meadow, where her cloak would flow gently with the wind behind her. The cloak would close around her as she landed on the ground, enveloping the mage with warmth despite the cold climate. Smiling, she would bend down and admire a gorgeous flower that seemed perfectly decorated with ice. Then, brushing a strand of hair out of her face, she'd turn to Izayuki, smirking, I guess I'm not late in that case, am I?
The mere thought of being able to attend a guild event had made her a little more flustered than ever thought possible. If she had been any more upbeat, happy, and excited, her porcelain cheeks may very well form their own shade of color change, however it didn't work like that. Though the smile on her face definitely showed just how much she liked the idea and how appreciative of the offer she'd been, the smile alone couldn't comprehend how joyous she was over it all. With the cheerful doll parading around, she'd began to ponder what to wear, but of her own choice. Normally she loved to be dressed up, but she could always pick out something of her own and as such, started to pick her brain out designs. It took a while of looking through magazines and books as well, but she'd began to draw out the design on paper before putting the needle to the thread in her mind and getting said outfit onto her own body, nailed down to a tee to how she'd drawn to detail. Looking down at her drawing, then to a mirror nearby, she giggled and nodded to herself before adding in a matching snow white colored hairband, which went with the attire and white dress shoes, knowing heels wouldn't be a good choice for the mode of transportation she'd be going by to get there. With a bit of what felt like begging, she had gotten her closest friend possibly that she'd had her whole life to come by and pick her up to take her. Sakura had never been to the place that they had to go to, so the idea that she would have to find it might make her miss the event. She didn't want to upset anyone simply by not knowing a location, so thankfully Desiree had come to get her just in time of brushing out her companions fur.
What Sakura came to see when she opened the door wasn't what she'd first expected to see standing at the door, but the friendly glow that was given felt like her friend. Not to mention the wolf with her seemed to also enjoy the company of the blonde before the doll, which to Sakura only meant that it had to be Desi. With her wolf carrying the fox and Desiree carrying the doll, they had taken off towards the location. Childish giggles and slight squeals left every so often on their trip, as she'd never flown once in her life. Up there in things she never thought she would possibly be able to do, this was close enough on the list that she could cross it off and love every moment of it. There were a number of things in which the form she took now had allowed her to see for herself. It in truth was a wonderful sight, almost if these were just a series in a string of comatose dreams, but even in ones like that she would probably still retain her human body and her ability to feel, so it couldn't have been that theory. However, even that was a little more of a blessing than a curse depending on the way it was looked at. Everything these days had their ups and downs, no matter what it was that was mentioned it hadn't had any effect on how she looked at it.
As it seemed they were arriving, Sakura couldn't help herself as she looked in awe of the land below. Blanketed with fresh snow, Desiree would hear the childish sounds from the doll that she never heard before, alongside the actual ability to fly. "Thank you again for taking me, Des. I never coulda found this place on my own." She spoke, trying to say it loud enough for her friend to be able to hear just before their descent to the land. Once they did land, Sakura was hugged tightly. She showed a small momentary expression of sadness, being unable to feel the embrace. The doll could tell though that she was being hugged as the pulling of Desiree's arms pulled her closer to the body she was pressed to for the duration of their ride over. Once all were present on land, Crystal jumped off of the wolf whom let her ride along and ran over to her companion, rubbing and nuzzling against her white dress while being petted."The land is so pretty here, it's hard to tell whether it could be inhabitable or not." She spoke to the fox, though she felt not to reply while she enjoyed the snow and petting. The eyes of the doll settled on several others that arrived, some she could recall and others she couldn't. The paused on the sight of a woman in particular whom was talking with Kiru, or so it seemed. The ears on her head, the fluffy tail waving lightly behind her-- She was adorable! Without skipping a beat, Sakura approached her and in nearly a bit of caught up flusters of emotions and excitement, she reached up to touch her tail, but stopped with her hand out in the air. The look of curiosity and experimentation decomposed into a look of sadness and realization. "O-Oh yeah... I.. forgot..." She said softly, looking away as her hand fell to her side. "Sorry I acted without asking... I got caught up in the moment.. I.." She gave a curtsy in a moment of being choked up on words and started to back away from the fox girl slowly.
To be offered the opportunity to attend a meeting organized by another yokai... such a thing did not occur every day, and Itori didn't think it was an opportunity she should squander. Her life had been one where she had interacted with humans far more than any yokai, the amount of humans outnumbering the yokai by several magnitudes. Not strange, considering how humans were numerous and explored the world with a kind of curiosity and enthusiasm akin to children. However that just made it more important that she would attend this meeting, and see what her fellow yokai had to say. Even if the yokai in question wasn't a fellow Kitsune.
Given the location of the meeting it was clear that the hostess didn't want unwelcome visitors, which was emphasized by the nature of the invitation: it had made clear in no uncertain terms that Itori wasn't meant to bring anyone along, and that she wasn't allowed to inform anyone of where she was going or what she was doing either. It made Itori even more curious, as she wanted to know what was being planned that had to be kept secret to this extent. Given that Izayuki was well-known she doubted it was the traditional suspicion and fear yokai held towards humans, worried that if the humans knew too much they would take advantage of the yokai, abusing their superior numbers and innovative nature. No, that fear couldn't explain this, since a yokai with enough power, leverage and motivation to become the leader of a guild of mages wouldn't let their actions be dominated by that kind of thinking. It had to be something else.
Itori always saw herself as possessing very simple magic, not comparable to the kind of extraordinary and awe inspiring miracles that those who stood at the top displayed whenever the occasion called for it. Which was why she travelled to the location of the meeting on foot. Well, that was one of the reasons at least. The other reason was that she was fond of travelling after having been without a real home for so long, so she enjoyed the opportunity to walk towards a new location, somewhere she hadn't gone before and where she might encounter new things. Beautiful and interesting things, wonders that made a long life worth living. As she walked the weather became colder and colder, fitting as she was heading towards a place which rumours said was a forest of frost and ice. There were those who said that the very trees were nothing more than frozen constructs, and that the mountains were all testaments of the power of nature: the power to form towering spires out of nothing more than water and merciless winter.
It was a good thing she had come prepared and clothed herself warmly, so she didn't have to expend too much magic bolstering her body's resistance. It was fortunate that her magic was suited for protecting and enhancing, but she still preferred to minimize the drain on her stamina.
Looking up she saw stars shooting across the sky, blinking as she counted seven. That was certainly an unusual sight... an omen of sorts? She wasn't an actual fortune teller, someone who could read the meaning of every single action, but she did believe that when something unusual happened, it usually had a meaning behind it. With some luck she'd be able to figure out what the meaning behind this one was. A single shooting star was often a sign of something of importance happening or about to happen. Did seven shooting stars indicate that the world would change? She shook her head as she continued walking. She'd find out eventually, and if it was something to be worried about she would hopefully have the fate to learn the meaning before it was too late.
Once she thought that she was close she pulled her mask over her face while simultaneously changing her shape. The changes to her appearance mostly altered her age and attire, but in combination with the effects of her mask it should be sufficient to keep her true identity hidden. She'd have to alert the hostess before she was attacked for being a stranger, but as long as Izayuki was aware of who she really was it was probably safer to keep her distance until she could trust whoever else might be present. She didn't know who that might be, although she expected many of them to be connected to Izayuki's guild in one form or another.
Reaching the cold meadow in which the meeting was held Itori didn't waste any time singling out the yokai who had invited her. Her appearance was different, but it looked like Izayuki had been generous enough to not hide the nature of her magic or her soul, so Itori could quickly weave a small illusion that would create a small sound next to Izayuki's ear, barely loud enough to be considered a whisper.
"It is me, Shirokawa Itori. I have arrived as your letter requested. Please explain to the others that I am an ally." Itori was planning to reveal herself to the group once she had become more familiar with them, but as an outsider she didn't want to tip her hand too quickly. She trusted Izayuki, but a long life came with the wisdom that a secret could be shared, but shared information couldn't become a secret.
Walking up to the group Itori bowed towards all of them, remaining quiet even as she straightened and assumed a more relaxed stance. Her mask hid her face, but it did more than just that: those who looked at Itori would have no issue seeing her or focusing on her, yet the magic of her mask made any attempts at recognizing her feel as if trying to catch fog with one's bare hands, the answer to who she was constantly slipping away. Combined with the mask obscuring her magic, scent and even the sounds she made while moving, and she might give the impression of being a wandering ghost, appearing silently and a stranger to everyone. Everyone except for Izayuki, who she had willingly exposed her identity to.
“Thank you all for coming,” Izayuki began, standing up from her seat on the boulder to perch on the snowy ground below. The air was frozen and cold, but it was no inconvenience for the glacier god slayer, who was used to such weather conditions. “As you all probably remember, the Magic Council suffered a defeat after they launched an attack on the peaceful kingdom of Navrick. All while they sat tucked away, hidden from the action. Many innocent mages and soldiers lost their lives that day, in the bloody war of the Magic Council. Whenever something comes up, the Magic Council utilizes the guilds as their pawns. If a guild disobeys the Magic Council or breaks their laws, they are severely punished.”
“What I am suggesting is not anarchy or active rebellion. What I suggest is that the Black Rose guild keeps its legal status, but works to gain a higher status and more influence than the Magic Council. Through political means, we can influence, and eventually control the council, and use that power to give most of the freedom back to the guilds, so they have their right to vote or choose when it comes to important decisions, such as going to war,” Izayuki stated evenly, her vulpine ears twitching curiously. She knew the information was a lot to take in, but those who were against it could simply dismiss it, and if they tried to use what they learned against Black Rose, she suspected they would be ignored, just like anyone who might try to start a conspiracy theory. If they decided to be violent, well, Black Rose had remedies for that. Meanwhile, Seika perched a ways away in human form, with a sleeping weasel, the guild ace Itazura, fast asleep on her shoulder. He already knew what was to be said at the meeting, so Seika did not bother waking him up.
“Black Rose will create a distinct faction that is affiliated with Black Rose, but not all Black Rose members will be involved. Only a few of you are here today, because you were invited. You were chosen. This faction will be a ‘mafia’, a closed group of people in a particular field that have a controlling influence. We will not engage in criminal actions in Black Rose’s name, but we will do what we must, preferably legally, to undermine the Magic Council’s authority over the guilds,” the Guild Master continued, leaning back against the boulder. She had already informed her aces of the plan. Here she was to explain the mafia to the guildmembers and potential associates.
“Those who participate in the Mafia will complete tasks within a division. The Divisions are Thorns: the fighters, Petals: the public face, Stigma: the spies, Roots: the police of the mafia, and Leaves: research and development. Each of you will be assigned to two or three divisions, and you will report to a Caporegime-- the head of a Division. To the Thorns Division, Itazura, Hikari, Irina, and Haley, with Caelum as the Caporegime. To the Petals Division, Hikari, Margaret, and Charlotte, with Sakura as the Caporegime. To the Stigma Division, Kiru, Itazura, Jiyu, and Shade, with Haley as the Caporegime. To the Roots Division, Hikari, Sakura, Shade, and Caelum, with Kiru as the Caporegime. And to the Leaves Division, Margaret, Jiyu, Charlotte, and Haley, with Irina as the Caporegime,” Izayuki said, taking a breath. That was a lot of words for just a few announcements. “If you are not of the Black Rose guild, you are of the rank, Associate, and may choose a Division or two of your liking. These members are to be welcomed as allies~”
“The Aces of the guild will take on the role of Underboss. Caporegimes may report to them, or to me. Any questions?” Izayuki asked, narrowing her crimson gaze at the others. “And in this form, please, call me Azise. I encourage you each to take on a disguise and fake identity, if possible, to avoid anyone noticing the correlation between the mafia and the guild.”
Hopefully there would be no questioning. She had given them the information they needed, so what more was to be done? Nothing much, except wait for further instructions. The Magic Council would lose their power, and the guilds would rise up.
Caelum had arrived with Bastet, her goddess companion, as she stood there listening to Iza explain the whole situation to those in attendance there now. She had arrived to the area via her rose blink ability but she didnt know how this meeting was gonna go...especially with hardly anyone besides maybe Iza knowing that she had been Kaisto, well used the identity of Kaisto in the past.
But soon she blinked as her ears pricked a bit as she heard she was a Compigne...or whaever that was, but basically she was leader of a certain division in this mafia thing, the Thorns division, the fighters, seemed appropriate, she was also part of the Roots division too with Kiru as her leader too. She soon dipped her head and nodded to Iza..well Azise "Yes Azise, The Thorns shall be the front line for ya, and i'll run my division properly and make sure everything is in ship shape"
Ravus trudged through the snow with a look of irritation on his face. This wasn't good. "Ergh... I'm so stupid to have thought this letter was legit! 'come to the specified location' what a load of crap!" He grumbled to himself, pulling his cape closer to his body too keep in the heat. Ravus hadn't had a ton of luck recently. Mostly because he had been finding work harder and harder to get. Most people these days didn't really pay him any mind. And of course whenever he told them he was a dragon slayer, they just scoffed and turned the other way. All this time Ravus had thought of himself as a decently strong wizard, but of course as soon as he ventured out into the rest of the world did he realize just how weak he truly was compared to the rest of the crowd. And because of this, nobody was really willing to hire him for any serious work. What a disgrace. What would Monev think? This had to have been her fault after all! She intentionally held back her training, and because of this, Ravus wasn't nearly as strong as he'd like to be. But there wasn't really any use and thinking about that now. He just needed to find a way out of this frozen forest before something else found him...
That didn't go as planned. Ravus tripped as he tried to push his way through the underbrush and fell face first in the snow! "AH! Shit!" He groaned, before pulling himself back up. What he saw as indescribable. There in the clearing was a huge crown of people. It seemed like he had just interrupted something important... And the worst part about it.. They were mostly woman. His face flushed red almost instantly as his eyes widened. He was extremely nervous. "Uhh... D- Don't mind me! S- Sorry I d- didn't know anyone was h- here..! I- I guess I'll be going now!" He turned to walk away hoping they wouldn't try and kill him.
"Shit what have I gotten myself into now!?" He thought. But that's when his mind went back to the letter! Wait a minute! Maybe it wasn't bogus after all! Maybe this was where he was supposed to be! But why? Who were these people and what did they want with him? He figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Ravus swallowed the lump in his throat and slowly turned around, chuckling nervously as she scratched the back of his neck. "Uhh.. You guys wouldn't happen t- to be the ones who sent this letter.... Would you?"
Troublesome, that had been the blonde woman's first impression of the letter she had received some time ago. It had been less than one month since Yugiri had first stepped out from beneath the sea and onto dry land. Land where humans abounded aplenty with their influences and history carved upon the land. She had witnessed many things in that time, experienced even more. So far, her impression was that more time was needed to study these curious but destructive beings called humans. Some were good, some were evil- but all of them possessed the ability to choose right and wrong. On one hand, they were not so different than her own kind, yet there were fundamental differences that would always set them apart. Time being one of those factors. Humans lived only a handful of years, yet Yugiri was almost four hundred years old: still considered a young one herself by Paliagos' standards. The dragon-kin understood time differently than the way humans did. As such, Yugiri was still growing accustomed to time constraints. She had traveled Fiore, searching to and fro until she had found herself in the possession of a mysterious letter dedicated to herself. To her knowledge, Yugiri hadn't made nay lasting impressions upon anyone important, nor had she yet to affiliate with any guilds.
Upon reading the contents of the letter, she had decided that it was worth checking out. Unaware that the meeting was not for a while still, Yugiri had gone to the specified location much too early. Assured that she was in the right place, Yugiri had waited hours but only felt like moments. One after another, people began to come to the specified location. Yugiri herself sat high above them in the recess of a tree and looked down on them as they began to form in number. Human, not-so-human: all of them mages of considerable talent. Yugiri hadn't bothered to count all of them, nor take special note of their appearances or details. She was uninterested in mingling right now and only wished to know why she had been summoned here. Finally the one presumed to be the leader began to speak. Yugiri remained motionless above the rest, laying comfortably in the bough of the tree, already having accumulated a thick layer of snow as camouflage. It was cold, but she knew of colder temperatures in the dark depths of the sea. Her armor even offered as a buffer to the wet and cold, fully shrouded in knightly armor, from head to toe she lay covered as much in steel as snow.
Troublesome.. she thought to herself, not intentionally hiding from the rest, just not interested in making her presence known. Yet she was certain that there were a few among the mages present that would sense her, namely the leader whom desired to be called "Azise" An unusual name, but then again- most human names and customs were uncommon to Yugiri. Albeit this guild master wasn't exactly human. After Izayuki had said her piece, Yugiri thought long and hard on the proposition. In her time above the waters thus far, she hadn't been impressed with the ruling government: and still there was credence to the things she was saying. History, stories, survivors Yugiri had run across that only left a bad impression of the Magic Council. Yugiri had no desire or love for anyone particular, not even dislike for most- just indifference. For her, it was a simple matter of aiding these people for her own goal. Judging the humans. Who knew for sure, maybe she would have her chance to strike a blow to the guild Black Sails too.She would do it, she decided. She would help these people, their goals and intentions seemed noble enough despite the secrecy. Yet there remained a few hiccups for Yugiri personally. She was a dragon-kin woman of the sea. She lacked the knowledge of customs, culture, etc of the land.I should join this guild if they will have me. I will benefit just as much as they would from me... she told herself, rationalizing the pragmatic needs of both sides.
She sat up suddenly, knocking the pile of snow from off atop her and jumping to the ground not so far away from Izayuki. She would dust herself free from the remainder of the snow from her armor, her face hidden beneath a knightly helmet. Maybe she had made a scene, suddenly announcing herself to the secretive group with her bizarre appearance. "I would join your guild if you will have me." she would voice the simple statement in a silky voice that was slightly warped by the helmet she wore. She needed to know if the guild master would have her affiliation, the rest need not know that Yugiri's understanding of their customs and culture was far too limited. Who knew might take advantage of her gullible state.
Location;; Muse;; Low Word Count;; OOC;; Template;; Izayuki
"You wish to replace the current governers?" The voice came from Itori, although instead of her usual lyrical voice it was a lot softer, like a whisper even if it was loud enough for everyone in the clearing to hear it. A voice suitable for her younger and smaller appearance, even as the mask hid her expression. She hadn't been able to guess at why Izayuki gathered her here, but she had to admit that even coming without expectations she was surprised, both by the objective, the scale of it and the fact that the guild leader of Black Rose would involve someone like herself, someone of little importance and little familiarity. That Izayuki thought her trustworthy enough was touching, in a way, leaving the lithely build Kitsune to bring her hands together with her large sleeves covering them entirely.
"My interactions with the outside world are limited, but even I have heard of this war and the results. Rulers are required to make harsh decisions, but your words contain honesty and truth." Not a Human herself Itori still didn't like the idea of all the mages of Fiore being forced to march to their death whenever the Magic Council decided that they desired this of them. Of course history taught the lesson that those who replaced the old rulers were never guaranteed to be better despite their claims, but Itori didn't hear any deception in Izayuki's words, and aside from that she wanted to answer the trust the Tanuki had shown by inviting her to this meeting.
And a small part of her also argued that she'd spent many years watching, wandering and waiting. Maybe it was time to get more involved, and it would certainly be more exciting.
Lifting her arms slightly she bowed deeply towards Izayuki, her tail low to show her genuine intent. "I will aid as best as I can in this endeavour, especially knowing that you wish to minimize bloodshed and replace them peacefully. If you had suggested deposing of them forcefully I would have to depart." The hypocrisy aside, Itori didn't possess a violent nature and didn't want to be associated with an aggressive revolution. When anger chilled her blood enough she could kill as needed and without hesitation, but even then she preferred clean solutions to whatever issue she was confronted with.
After several seconds she straightened up, her mask still covering her face as she was unsure whether to remove it or not. She had already proclaimed herself willing to help, but it might be wiser to wait until everyone present had given their answer, so she would only let herself be recognized by those willing to aid this mafia. "I am Koyouma Namaru, and if I could be allowed this favour I would request to be placed with the Stigma. To gather information with minimal disturbance suits my abilities and personality best." She certainly didn't want to be a soldier, and she didn't think she'd do very well as a member of the public face or police either. On the other hand as an illusionist spying was nearly optimal for her.
"My talent lies in illusions, subtle changes to what is known and distorting what is not yet known. Not very useful in combat, but I am confident in my ability to obtain information with none being the wiser about it." If need be she could just copy any information that was written down and disguise the copy as something innocent as she walked away.
When Yugiri jumped out of the tree Itori's head swiftly turned, even with her face hidden her body language telling everyone that she was startled, even if she relaxed quite easily once she saw it wasn't anything hostile that had appeared. She wasn't part of Black Rose so this woman requesting membership had little to do with her, the Kitsune instead turning to look at the latecomer, who looked embarrassed and somewhat flustered. She didn't move from her spot, but she still addressed Ravus as she used an illusion to make her voice appear from close to the boy.
"You would have to ask Azise about that, but given that you are here where others seldom come the answer to your question is most likely yes."
by Guest 28th December 2017, 4:14 pm
![Novice [250]](https://i.imgur.com/lrYlde6.png)
