mission ♔ hachiōji

[lissatrinall]

WHO || Lis'sa, Lear, Alainn, Eric [closed]
WHAT || Infiltrating the yuan-ti underground
WHERE || A club, Hachiōji, Japan
WHEN || Mid-June (backdated!)
HOW || Actionspam

Parked out on the curb outside one of many buildings lining the downtown area, Lis'sa glances out the tinted window, surveying the scene, before looking back at the others. She's all glammed up in an elegant kimono-inspired red dress with her hair accentuated with two carved sticks. She turns back to examine the other women in the back of the car as well, as Eric keeps an eye out in the rearview mirror from where he sits drumming on the steering wheel.

"Are we ready?"

[ ooc; please do Disguise checks (Charisma based) -- and of course, Alainn's got the magic flowin' to add some reptilian features where needed! ... non dragony ones. ]

Comments

[lear]

Lear leaves Eric with one last conspiratory wink before she follows the other two in playing the part. She's likely the odd duck out; it's not just that her personal style is a little different, but she's shorter than the other two women, stockier, and distinctly lacking in the cold beauty that Alainn and Lis'sa manage effortlessly.

Nevertheless, every inch of her screams confidence, and without her jovial Britishisms and sardonic friendliness, her innate arrogance shines through. She stands at Lis'sa's other shoulder, the sultry warmth of the night practically making her purr; give her Asia over Europe any day of the week.

[lissatrinall]

Their approach is definitely enough to draw the attention of the guard, who seems to stand up a little straighter when confronted with the trio. His gaze rakes across them in turn, but his voice is gruff and all business as he asks:

"Who are you with?"

Lis'sa makes a dismissive scoffing noise lightly in her throat, eyes sliding to the women beside her as if to share in a joke about how funny it was to imply they needed an escort. She looks back at him, stepping forward and raising a hand to play with the collar of her dress.

"They're with me," she replies, a mysterious smirk touching her lips, though her eyes still show no trace of warmth. Her fingers draw down the edge of fabric slightly, revealing a rather fresh looking tattoo there ( a spot check of 14 or higher will note that it's an ouroboros ). She raises one eyebrow at him challengingly, letting him lean in to examine it, and then he stands up and nods sharply. "Enjoy yourselves, ladies." He nods back towards the entrance, and the doors are pushed open for them.

♬ Reptile - Skrillex

They find themselves in the middle of a crowd of incredibly well dressed people pressing through an ornate entrance hall into a large open ballroom sort of space, with an open bar, waiters flitting around with trays, lavish furniture and large chandeliers. There seem to be a few patterns in the patrons that a spot check of 14 or more might notice: most of the men here are middle aged or older, while many of the women look younger, dramatically done up in high fashion - and many of them sporting openly snake-like features. Yellow slitted eyes, scales that climb their arms, talons, forked tongues slithering into drinks... and not a single other type of Shadowkind in sight, although some of the patrons look quite human.

[attollores]

Alainn's eyes slide ever so slightly to the guard, as cold and hard as Lis'sa, then roll back to show her obvious disdain at such a question.

As soon as they step foot within the entrance hall and the ballroom beyond her eyes are roaming, taking in every detail available (Spot Check 23). The ratio of young, snake-ish women to older, wealthy men doesn't so much surprise Alainn as intrigue her. Yuanti-clan or no, this was a dance as old as time. Older men of money accompanied by young, beautiful women for an evening was a situation she could adjust to and work with. At least it was a tame party so far.

[lissatrinall]

Lis'sa snags a glass off a tray without even giving the waiter so much as a glance, her eyes also darting about, although she maintains a bored and detached expression. Alainn, however, would be able to take note of not only a few exceptionally broad shouldered men with more visible snake features than most hovering on either side of a set of doors on one side of the room, but also take note of a few people being surreptitiously ushered that way, disappearing through the entrance, sometimes casting glances over their shoulders, a gleam of something in their eyes that looks a great deal like excitement.

[attollores]

Alainn's eyes sweep that side of the room a few times, taking note to see if there are other guards visible. Snatching a glass from another passing tray she turns slightly towards Lis'sa, clearing her throat gently then turning smoothly in the direction of the doors. Her stride is slow and purposeful, though she makes sure to keep her eyes moving around the room.

[lissatrinall]

Lis'sa falls into step behind her, and the two women near the doors, just as another pair is allowed through. As they get nearer, no one seems ready to halt them, but one of the two guards holds up a hand in front of Alainn.

"Will you be dining tonight?" he asks.

[attollores]

"Depends what's on the menu," she says in a sultry, slightly hiss-y voice, her forked tongue peeking out to lick her lips as if in anticipation of said meal. She really was hungry, this spy stuff worked up an appetite.

[lissatrinall]

That comment seems to greatly amuse the guard, who breaks out a predatory grin, all sharp teeth, before moving the curtain aside for them, revealing a set of long dark stairs that head down deep underground.

"Or who," he jokes, and Lis'sa slides past him without flinching as he chuckles.

[attollores]

Alainn trills out a slight, breathy laugh to humor the guard, then follows Lis'sa casually down the stairs, making sure to keep a steady stride. Her stomach churned at the thought of "who" or "what" the menu would consist of but she quashed the feeling quickly. There would be plenty of time later to reflect on whatever nastiness lay before them.

[lissatrinall]

Lis'sa's expression doesn't so much as flicker, and she avoids making eye contact with her partner as they move down the steps. There's a grimy feel to this dark stairwell, made even more so by its juxtaposition to the swanky party above. They reach at the door at the bottom, which is opened for them... and find themselves in what looks like a makeshift ampitheatre, lit only by candles set along the wall at intervals. Expensively dressed patrons are settling into chairs with their arm candy, and down below a reptilian eyed man with a shark like smile waits in a suit with a microphone in front of a large lump covered in a white blanket.

Lis'sa nods towards a spot on the lowest bench closest to the 'stage'.

[attollores]

Alainn glides to the front row at Lis'sas nod, one hand trailing lightly along the edge of the stage with an openly, though still snake-y, curious look on her face. Her eyes glance rapidly around what parts of the stage she can see from her perspective, finally settling on the white blanket as she takes her seat.

[lissatrinall]

A few others are ushered inside, one of them taking a seat on Alainn's other side, expression all impatient expectation. Lis'sa watches him out of the corner of her eye, disgust well contained. Once he's sat, the announcer lofts his mic.

"Well, well, I sssee we have an essspecially eager looking crowd tonight. Jusst what I like to hear."

[attollores]

Alainn glances at the dude sitting right next to her. Um, personal space much? Her attention fixes on the announcer as he lifts the mic.

Her gut gave an expectant, slightly nauseous lurch in anticipation of what could possibly be under that white sheet.

[lissatrinall]

There are strange sss-ing sounds of expectation all around them, leering hungry looks affixed on the stage, as some of the other well dressed patrons lean forward in clear anticipation. The announcer's hand moves to the sheeet, eyes glittering.

"I'd like you to meet ... our very ssspecial guessst of honor." He withdraws it sharply, revealing a young woman, barely in her twenties, who is shaking visibly, bound and gagged, mascara streaked down her cheeks from crying. He runs the back of a finger down her cheek and she violently starts at the touch. "Doesn't she look tasssty?"

[attollores]

[Alainn tenses immediately, her eyes completely focused on the man on stage, silently preparing a spell in her mind to hold him if need be. She looks at Lis'sa as casually as she can manage, jaw tight and with a look of what she hoped passed as impatience only on her face.]

[lissatrinall]

[ lis'sa's eyes meet alainn's and she nods only the slightest bit, signaling that she agrees they'll need to act - even if it's two on however many are crammed in the room.

her fingers move idly to her necklace, which she starts toying with.

meanwhile, the host steps over to pluck a jeweled dagger off a red pillow being held aloft by an assistant, and looks back over the audience.

"Do we have a volunteer?" ]

[attollores]

[Alainn's hand glides into the air as casually as she can manage, eyes fixed once more on the host. She figures if she has control of the knife she'll be closer to the girl, and the closer to the girl, the easier it would be to save her.]

"I volunteer."

[lissatrinall]

[ "Excellent," he hisses, and gestures her forward, extending the weapon. "Have you ever killed a human before?" ]

[attollores]

[She steps onstage gracefully, taking the knife from him. Rage, hot and quick, flashes through her body, and she sneers at the man then turns towards the girl.]

"There'sss a firsssst time for everything" [she hisses loud enough for the audience to hear, gliding forwards a few steps. Turning, she once more catches Lis'sas eye.]

[lissatrinall]

[ as soon as Alainn is in arms reach of the girl, lis'sa nods... And hits the button on her necklace pendant. The sound it emits is attuned to a frequency only snake bloods can hear well - too well. There's a sudden chaos of shouts, screams, frantic glances about, and she gets to her feet, drawing a small taser out of her purse. ]

[attollores]

[The spell Alainn had been preparing silently in her mind is suddenly flung out towards the man on the stage, holding him in place. She grabs the frightened girl, using the knife to cut the ropes binding her, bringing her to her feet.]

"Stay close!" [She draws the girl behind herself, turning to assess the room once more.]

[lissatrinall]

[ the host fails his will save spectacularly and is pinned with a look of anger and horror on his face. the girl shrieks as the knife comes down close to her, but recovers quickly, gratitude mixed with the tears in her eyes as she's drawn up.

the room is in a panic state, but lis'sa wastes no time slamming the taser into a guard near the door (atk 21). he writhes beneath it as electricity courses through him ]

[attollores]

[Alainn takes advantage of the cleared doorway, dragging the girl off the stage and towards the stairs. Hitching her skirt up to her thigh, she grabs her Knight's issue Glock, handing it to the girl.]

Ever use one of these? [Her eyes suddenly turn from green to gold, alerting Fede to contact Eric, waiting in the car out front, to read the slip of paper she had given him earlier, all while waiting for the girl to answer. She's good at multitasking under pressure.]

[The note to Eric simply states "Start the car, we're coming"]

[lissatrinall]

[ the girl gapes, staring down at the weapon even as she takes it.

"I-- I--" it's clear from her hesitation that her answer is 'no', and lis'sa flashes them an annoyed look that clearly says 'hurry it up' as some of the snakeys begin to recover. ]

[attollores]

[Alainn fixes the girl's fingers correctly on the gun, while preparing another spell in her mind (Concentration check 23).] You point at anyone who isn't the three of us and shoot, or at least act like you will.

[Nodding to Lis'sa, she casts the spell she had been preparing to cut off the rest of the room from the three of them as they flee up the stairs, Lis'sa first with the girl between them. A wall of fire springs up after Alainn once her feet hit the stairs, trapping the rest of the snakey people in the room beyond.]