The Opening Act [Arsene B-Rank Exam]

Nessa Cordelia Lux wrote:

Out of nowhere, a letter comes into your possession, you don't know how sent it, but you open it to read the following.

`Arsene, we are pleased to inform you that you have been invited for preliminary testing to assess your aptitude in a special business venture. We have been following your career with a vested interest and believe you to be an excellent candidate to fill a vacancy within our organisation.

Our organisation is made up of various men, and woman with goals and skills very similar to your own, and as such we will it is only in our best interest to extend this opportunity out to you. If you are interested, please meet one of our associates at the place you first stepped into the light, you have until sunset tomorrow. We hope to see you there.`


Should you find the location specified, you will find a message left for you, with a set of clues. Follow these clues, until you find the man in red armour.

He let out a long, slow breath, clutching the letter in his hands and trying to suppress the trembling. Laying on his kitchen table, the small white letter mattered more than anything else in the entire building. Mind racing, he connected every dot he had at the moment; he had been in this city for a week and a half so far, and have access to 4 safe houses inside it. The letter was spotless, with no dust, so it was clearly left within the day.  This was his second night in this one, and he'd yet to take the main entrance inside, so they knew his schedule and routines well enough figure out how he rotated his abodes, and where they were without seeing him enter. Last time he was in Oak Town was 7 months ago, so they've been watching him for at minimum that long, perhaps longer. None of this information was exceptional, at least not nearly enough to fluster him. He'd handled his share of stalkers and offers before; crime groups trying to muscle him in, ex-clients trying to get the drop on him. That all was standard. The problem here was the very first word on the page; Arsene. They knew his name.

Arsene had been a broker for 3 years now, amongst other side jobs. His information was what he was known for however. The importance of knowledge wasn't lost on him; he championed the idea. As such, he kept all of his confidential. Your alias was the first thing any decent black market worker handled. He hadn't spoken the name himself in over a year. Yet they knew it. He dropped the paper, it's contents already burned into his memory. He gripped a nearby chair, knuckles growing white as he calmed himself. Yet all of his attempts to calm simply made it worse. His breaths quickened, sweat formed on his brow. This was critical. It had been ages since he felt this scared, this intimidated. Clearly, he had the attention of someone much more capable than himself. It was intimidating. It was terrifying. It was exciting.

A smile snuck onto his face. How long had it been since he felt this? Actual danger, the thrill of being pushed to the wall. He'd been safe lately, only dealing with petty thugs and simple deals. Nothing challenged him, nothing was on the line. This was different. Everything was on the line. He knew only two things about them; they knew all about him, and they saw value in keeping him alive. If they didn't, he'd have met a blade at his door today, not a letter. He packed up quickly, already very aware of where they wanted him to go. Clearly, they were asking him to perform, and he always gave the best shows under pressure.



It was around mid-day, and the sunlight was especially harsh today. Especially after a night with no rest like he'd experienced. Long blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a beautiful white sundress, Arsene was getting looks from all the men as he strolled through the town. A small part of him wondered what they'd do when they saw what lurked beneath the illusion, but he had no time for games at the moment. He had an appointment to uphold. Turning off the main road, he walked down the alleyway, stopping at the stoop of an old door. The building behind it was abandoned; it had been for years, 3 at least. It was when he did his first street performance here to 3 people, and when he made his first deal here that night. It was both "the place he first stepped into the light", and the place he stepped into the darkness. Waiting delicately on the step was another envelope, and he wasted no time taking a look at the contents.

WC: 635

Folding the note into his hand, Arsene leaned against the door frame. What exactly was the note trying to say? His mind raced back to recent events, trying to piece together what it was referring to. It was obviously talking about theft. Personally, he hadn't been in any robberies himself. It was much safer and easier to sell any ideas he had to others. In the past 3 years, he'd dealt with about 16 heists; they weren't a normal job for him. Only two of them made it into the paper, so it was either his work with the Furnelli's or Ringo. The odds were highest for Ringo; he 'disappeared' about half a year ago. Aresne had assumed he was offed, but not by someone this capable. Ringo stole a set of blueprints for a bank in Hargeon, thanks to his information on their location and the guards rotation, and planned to use them to make his next move. He only stole from a few safe deposit boxes though, and none of it ended up back to himself. So why were they after him for it? Revenge wasn't a good enough motive for anyone this high level. Especially if they put in the effort to get his name. This had to be more than Ringo's job. A groan forced it's way out of his lips, fingers pinching between the eyes as he tried to figure this out.

The second half of the riddle was much more obvious. The fable of Icarus. It was a favorite of his, and had a special place in his heart, for more than one reason. He'd often spoken about it, and it wasn't exactly hidden knowledge that he loved it. He would read it constantly, usually every trip he made to the Oak Temple as a child.  Arsene was confident, he could be cocky, but he always knew his limits. There was only one time he ever thought he could soar above, and then he did cra-

His hand shot away from his face, entire body tensing as the webs of thoughts in his mind mingled. They knew his name. They knew about Icarus. The story he read as a child. They knew about him as a child. This was much more than a few years. His hands closed instinctively, crushing the tiny paper inside his fist. How much did they know? 'Hiding amongst paper' was literal. There was only one time in his entire life Arsene stole for  himself. Here in Oak Town. That's why they waited until he was here. His nose flared, anger getting the better of him for a moment, throwing and crushing the paper beneath his feet. No body should know about that. There should be NO connection. Soon, the note vanished beneath the harsh grinding of his sole against the pavement. This wasn't right. He had killed that part of his life. It was gone.

Yes, it was dead. He paused, stiff as stone, as a single slow breath forced it's way out. This entire experience had him off his game. Nothing had ever been this close to him before, nothing had ever snuck beneath the mask, passed the role he played and to the person beneath. Still, he was better than this. Even if things go off script, don't break character. That was how he lived life; it was a grand stage, and he was the main character. These people were watching; they had been watching, and their asking him to perform now. Why was he letting this get to him. Shoulders dropping, Arsene started to move forward, already knowing where the next clue was waiting.

As he moved, he tried to piece more together. At first, with how personal this was, it had to be one of them. Yet, if they were involved at all, they wouldn't stretch it out and give him a chance. He wouldn't in their place, at least, which ruled that option out. They knew about Icarus. They knew he stole, and knew about the article. That means they know about the twin. Clicking his tongue, he hated how rushed this was. Following someone else's script was frustrating, improv was never his strong suit. The fact that they associated the theft and Icarus meant they knew how often he was at the temple, but he would wager they didn't know the significance of the story, else they probably wouldn't associate the two. He quickened his pace. The sooner he was face to face with them, the sooner he could solve this.

Approaching the temple, Arsene slid briefly between two decorative pillars, a nearby bush behind him and wall before him. For one second, he was obscured from all angles. A young, blonde woman walked to the pillars, and an old, greying gentleman emerged. While he doubted the change would be overall effective, it didn't hurt to try and through an potential pursuers off a bit. His legs seemed to move on auto-pilot now, muscle memory from all those years ago still strong as ever. A painful nostalgia swelled inside him as he parted the doors and entered, briskly traversing the library to the exact spot. Of course, the book was right where it should be; probably the only book in the whole temple in the correct spot. Spreading it open, Arsene found and grabbed the next envelope, wasting no time tearing into it.


WC: 891

The last note took much less time to be deciphered, considering that Arsene knew what their games were now. They were parading him around Oak Town, trying to show off how much info they had on him. Of course, that wouldn't be complete without dragging him to the lowest of low. Outside town, hidden deep into the forest, was a tiny cave. He found it when exploring as a child, and it turned out to be very useful. It was a cool fort and play area when needed, and a shelter at his most desperate. It was a fitting stage for the final encounter. Exactly where he'd plan it himself, honestly speaking. Closing the book and sliding it back into the shelf, there was a brief pause. Once again he'd broken his own rules, and thought too much of himself. Thinking himself above all else, and assuming he'd hidden his past perfectly, soaring too close to the sun. A moment of arrogance, and a wake up call to himself. He had to return to form, and get back into his normal mindset. Doing only the small time jobs and playing safe had let his head grow big in comparison. He slapped his cheeks lightly, trying to jolt himself awake. After all, it was show time.

Arsene was pretty sure he was being watched the entire time; that didn't surprise him in the slightest. The letter confirmed it, and basically spelled out that they were a threat now. Strolling out of the library, Arsene slid behind the same pillar again. This time, he never emerged from it. Seemingly disappearing into open space, Arsene was gone. Casually strolling down the street, Arsene was invisible to the normal eye, surrounded in a magical barrier, reflecting all light away from him. There might be someone tailing him who could see through the illusion, but he mostly had to hedge his bets that there wasn't. After all, it would be much easier to deal with any pursuers if they were on edge. Losing sight of him, the odds were high they'd gather to prevent him from reaching the cave. And that, was exactly where he wanted them.


Strolling idly through the forest, Arsene saw the cave forming in the distance. And, just as he expected, he saw no security what so ever. He had hoped they would be at least that capable, or all his stress would have been for nothing. He ducked behind a nearby tree, and dropped his illusion. That was about as far as he'd get with invisibility at this point he felt. Besides, he didn't really need it from there. All he needed now was one person. His hand shot out around him, and he called forth another reflection. This time, it wasn't around him, but beside him. A copy of himself soon smiled back at him, and already knew the plan in mind. Slowly, deliberately, and careful as possible, the clone started to sneak around the perimeter of the cave. It made every move to be as stealthy and unseen as possible. Arsene himself simply stayed back, watching from a distance.

Unfortunately, all of his best efforts weren't enough. It took a few minutes, but Arsene soon saw the tiny movement through the brushes, and small hints of black clothing, trailing carefully behind the clone. After all, these were trained professionals. As good as he was, there was a low chance Arsene could manage to sneak past them. That was exactly what he was counting on, after all. His eyes never left the man, watching for each hand motion and every sign he sent to the other members. There was no indication of where any of them were, but it did tell him people were watching. Once the chasing pair started to move farther away, Arsene now followed them, taking a wider and farther out path to avoid any indication of himself. He'd catch up with them soon however.

The copy led the many further and further away, but they had to be fast. Too far, and he'd probably give up and return back to his lookout. That was exactly was they needed to avoid. Arsene placed himself behind a bush, and waited. Soon, the clones path lead it through the bush, and paused. While the clone remained hunched and still, Arsene peaked his head up and looked back around the bush, pretending as thought he was checking for followers. All he needed was one good look, and he got it, briefly locking eyes with his pursuer. Quickly dropping down, the clone ran, clearly terrified he got caught. The man immediately made chase, and followed behind, blow past the hidden Arsene. As he ran, Arsene prepared the next step. Magical energy swayed around him as he created an illusion, one for his hunter alone. It wasn't anything fancy notable; it was an exact copy of the forest as it was. Except, that the path back to the cave was reversed; instead of leading back, it would lead him further into the forest, to guard a cave that does exist. It wouldn't last long he was sure; when the man realized he couldn't see his partners anymore he'd realize the trick, but a few minutes was all Arsene needed.

Quickly, he donned the appearance of his pursuer. He was taller than Arsene, normally an issue, but since he didn't have to touch anything, this didn't matter. Making his way back to the outside of the cave, Arsene shot hand signs in the same direction at the man did before; indicating towards the cave. The man had just failed t capture his target, and now was going to inform their boss. He doubted anyone would question it, at least for the moment. This was a very bold plan; it relied entirely on the idea that they weren't going to attack him on sight. This was the only way Arsene could pull this off though, and he had to play the hand he was dealt. Heading deeper into the cave, still wearing the appearance of his pursuer, Arsene wondered what awaited him.


WC: 1013

MP: 262.5

Spells Cast: Call the Ensemble, Refraction, Set the Stage

Arsene stared down the man, covered entirely by a strange armor. Immediately, he knew that he wasn't capable of threatening this man. He had anticipated this; he knew he was dealing with a big deal, after all, but facing it in reality was still a bit disturbing. The man gave away nothing; no magical presence, no real discernible body language, no points of entry. It was like staring at brick wall. The only Arsene knew, was that he also knew Arsene was no threat. After all of the attempts to rile up and unhinge someone, the man casually relaxed on a boulder, certain that Arsene couldn't kill him if he tried. Not that he had any interest in trying, but it was the only thing Arsene could glance from him. Normally, that would be his angle; play to the ego he saw before him. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Arsene was a rational man and never let emotions cloud his better judgement, but after all the man had done to him so far, he couldn't bring himself to play to the man's ego. Even if they weren't even, after all of that taunting, Arsene's spirit refused to let him feel beneath his opponent.

He stopped a few feet before the boulder, a playful smile on the borrowed face. He, and even now Arsene realized he was only assuming it was a man, hadn't even considered it was his employee. "You know, it's pretty rude to act so casually with someone who doesn't even know your name yet." His mind was a flurry now, trying to put together and decide his plan of actions. Sneaking in here was childs play; simple brute labor anyone could do. This was the challenge now; the dialogue. Each word was worth it's weight in gold here, and he had to be careful.

Arsene was down in almost all respects; he was surrounded, overpowered, and facing someone who knew what he had for breakfast while he didn't even know their name. That didn't mean he had nothing however, he still had a few tidbits to play off of. One, they had a use for him. They wanted him alive, and offered him a venture. Two, they valued him enough to dig up his past. Nothing they did today was easy info, they had to track this down. Three, they wanted him enough to go through the theatrics and intimidate him. Arsene was an asset, and that alone was some bargaining power. "So, beyond asking for your name, can I ask why you brought me out here? I appreciate you giving me a starring role today, but I much prefer to follow my script than to improv." While he wore the appearance of the workers outside, the voice was that of a small child. He had no reason to give them what his voice sounded like, at least.

Arsene, or the man who's skin he wore, stood tall against the 'Chairman', as he called himself. So far, this was all within expectation. They wanted him alive, and valued him, but also didn't simply capture him or force him out. So they wanted him, and they wanted him willingly, they needed him to agree. That meant that they needed him to see benefit in their actions, where forcing him would give him reason to sabotage them. But, they didn't trust him, nor did they approach him as an equal or a customer. They put pressure on him, they wanted to make sure he knew his place. Make him feel that he had no exit to the situation, and his only path forward was through them. So, obviously it was an offer of some kind. He had figured that out long before. Even so, still hearing the words come from the mans mouth sent a chill down his spine. This was an offer from some massive, for something large, bigger than any project he'd undertaken before.

Still, no excitement made it to his face. After all, what type of actor broke character? He wore the same smug smile as when he entered, aloof and careless despite all the care he'd shown getting in here. He had to make it look like it was nothing to him, if he wanted any bargaining leverage. "So, you're the Chairman, I see. If we go by our jobs here, I assume that makes me Troubadour, doesn't it?" An obvious lie. If they even know about Oak Town, then they knew he was a much more than a wandering performer. They knew that was a cover. "I must say though, I don't think I've ever had someone be so interested in my juggling skills that they'd go to this length."

He circled around the man, moving towards the cave wall to lean back on. "You're like a dull knife, you know? So fine and walking nicely along the edge, until we get to the base and you're suddenly dull. How boring." Arsene had to admit, he'd enjoyed the coy games on his way here, they were much more his style than simple by the books business talk. Not to say that he wasn't proficient at it; anyone worth their salt in his field new how to cut a deal. He just had to express a little disappointment at the bland ending to their previous chase.

With a sudden ripple, the man before the 'Chairman' vanished, transforming into that of a small child. No more than 4 feet tall, they remained in the exact same pose as before. "Still, I must admit you've peaked my interest. So far, I've yet to work with anyone as clean and skillful as yourself. I'd grown quite dull myself it seems, slumming around with the street rats. Perhaps a change of venue might be in order. The question remains though; what exactly do I get out of this?" The voice now was that of an old man, thick and harsh, sounding like a long time smoker.