Exile From Metropolis

A moment was taken to sip her drink. The fruity flavors savored a moment as she dwelled on how best to answer. She did spy work she played roles to best assassinate a target. She wasn't averse to answering the question but the location impacted how she considered she ought to answer. "It's not the act but the location." Her eyes looked to her drink for a moment, then tipped it slightly toward Kana's direction. "Let's say we're the drink. Our job asks us to add elements to it. But obviously if we add to much something spills over." In the lab it could be simpler but that wasn't the location so Alice tried to measure her words.

She wasn't opposed to killing, truthfully she enjoyed it. Not the act of ending a life or sacrifice a soul, for her it was simpler. Victory.

"I picked up a job as a maid. Believe me I enjoy to some degree a clean up job. A maid though isn't a street sweeper." She wondered if it sunk in yet as well why she wanted to be here. Why her eyes scanned around the room. She was looking for targets worth her time. Good clean fun to her might still involve a decapitation and mess to tidy up. They were approached by someone the other two were more averse to his presence.

"Who's the client? What's the rate? And what is the risk expectations? Not necessarily going to abandon friends on a good night, for an odd job. May take up the offer though if answers right." Some part of Alice couldn't help but be drawn to the inquiry. Her ambitions involved one day a world better. She would be willing to clean up a lot of messes to get there. She was willing to develop super weapons to get there. But then not every escort job pitched their way was a good person either.

"We can enjoy ourselves as long as no assassins come at us. That is why disguises may be necessary if we leave the underground part of the city. Speaking of which, I need to prepare my other body when we get back. What do you say? Should I wear the nerdy female student body or the hot older sister nurse body?" Kana said.

For some it was creepy or even somewhat terrifying that she simply switched between bodies and often made it sound like she was just picking out an outfit for a day. But a bloodlusty mad scientist slipping into different skins was something of nightmares. Only difference was that Kana made an effort to not act out when in her alternative bodies. Her being in her main body was more dangerous than being in her other bodies, at least to others.

"I'd say let's go to Naoma's place. It's getting kind of boring in here and who knows what will happen if I try to find something to sate my thirst for activity." Kana said to the others. "Maybe we can do karaoke at her place or more. Though in cybernetic bodies, it is kinda cheating when doing karaoke isn't it? Maybe we can have our voiceboxes sing in other voices to up the challenge and the fun. That would be awesome."

Naoma had stopped playing attention a while ago, her mind was, busy.

The people who had spotted her left, but she still felt something odd in her stomach, or well, artificial, stomach, she really hadn't spoken about it with either Kana or Alice, but she was supposed to handle something with her superiors soon, progress on her experiments yes but, other importants matters too.

It was no secret that Niponya had unstable deals with other nations, its allies remaining together out of sheer convinience, it was a useful tool, yet, a dangerous game for agents like Naoma who were out on the field at all times, dealing with anything that may happen between nations. She didn't exactly have many places to hide, given her status as a public figure, all she could truly wish was that neither Kana or Alice turned into her new targets.


Finally she snapped out of her mind, nodding at Kana's questions and comments as if she was hearing all properly, with a practiced fake smile.

"Ah, well I say either is fine." Truth be told, she didn't specify which question she was answering.

The men trying to strike a deal with them didn't really leave, nor did Kana continue to adress them, so she stood up a bit, barely reaching his chin with the top her head with her height, since Alice was asking, why shouldn't she too? If all three of them went together, they could still have fun, and for free? That wasn't such a terrible idea.

Of course, Kana was disgustingly rich, but, she was still a fan of free things every once in a while. With an oddly menacing grasp, she took her hands up to one of the man's shirt collar, fixing the wrinkles formed in them with slow movements that almost threatened to snap his neck if he even so much as laid a finger on her.

"Y'all are desperate- Say, you let us choose the client? While I am tempted, I don't want to be taking care of old ass men, if you can promise that we can choose and you let me pick the place for the date, we can give it a test run just this once...What do you say?"

She shrugged, looking back at Kana over her shoulder, as if trying to see if she would be in.

As much as Naoma liked peace and quiet and having fun every once in a while, she was, still hungry, and, this would be a perfect chance to finally show Naoma and Alice first hand what she had been working on, with fresh test subjects too.

"Perhaps should clarify more. I'm all for fun like that of the alley, it's why I recommended here." She moved a little closer to Kana and then gestured with a finger to a table in the corner. A pair of tailored suits were talking nothing unordinary, below the table though one could see wires interlocking hands. The two suits were trafficking illegal data between them. Of course it was impossible to know who was buyer and who was the supplier from here. The actual information shared was imperceptible without sharing in the connection. The illegal acts though spoke for themselves, it was done well and in this bar nobody cared even if it wasn't.

Alice though she did.

"Smart marks. Prime location. That's when I have fun, where I can keep it clean." She was all for murder, she just exercised restraint when in the open. She fully understood her current work place might be with more vicious people it came with the job. Her own past spoke of a wicked and violently competitive side. "I'd recommend the hot one for this." The pop star and alluring body Kana could chose those were perfect for the operation Alice was already imagining. Her attention turning to the musician and the men who greeted them.

She briefly dug in a leg pouch removing a card of hers. "Naoma is better at picking then me, but I say make it a party don't worry cleaning up after is apart of my own job. The crazier or messier it can get well I'm in favor of. Not sure about the other girls." It was clear though given dress Alice already in and the card shown. Alice was a maid she made a living tidying up after others. She was welcoming the idea of the worst kind of parties. Given the side of town they were on it was also so likely to be a crime infested party. That was in truth what Alice was shooting for, somewhere to go where she was more sure of the victims. And that if things got out of hand she could clean up the mess after.

The maid liked the girls and longed for a sense of belonging. Having said that she wasn't someone who liked to sing and didn't enjoy playing instruments in public. She did however like washing away filth, both littoral and figural.

"I am also all for changing locations. This joint is boring me and I don't think it would be appreciated if I painted this place red and you know how I'd love to do that. But sometimes a little tactical restraint is necessary. But before we go to Naoma's place, I should maybe switch into another body that is more appropriate for the overworld." Kana said looking at the others. A faint red glow could be made out in her eyes as she talked about restraining from painting the place red. But if the others were out for blood, she wouldn't hesitate to join in. After all, the patrons of this place were only lowlifes and criminals.

She turned around and slowly started pacing towards the exit. "Say. Should I get the older or the younger body? As long as we only go to Naoma's place, the younger one would be fine. But if we end up going into a normal bar, it would be inconvenient if someone who knew my disguise saw a student at a bar."

"So what's the plan. I will leave the decision up to you two. I am up for whatever." Kana said. On one side she was itching for a massacre, but on the other side, she had already satiated her blood lust and didn't want to push the others into another fight. Plus leaving a trail of bodies would eventually arise suspicion from possible assassins or other belligerent forces. It would however be good to eventually relax a little and get away from the lustful eyes of machos and perverts hanging around in the bars of the underworld.

Kana awaited the decision of Naoma and Alice.

"Any body is fine Kana, this is just for business after all. Whatever you think is safest shall do. Perhaps the eldest for now."

Naoma shrugged a bit, answering Kana's question at last.

As she returned her attention to the men, she ended up locking eyes with one of them. He seemed familiar, likely one of the patrons at her shows.

As it was usual for Naoma, she studied the soul of this subject, but she was rather disappointed at her findings, a little, pathetic flame of orange remained alive within his chest, pitiful. It held no sort of passion, or desire for life, this was the soul of someone who had gotten used to their daily life, but didn't seek growth in any way, hell, she would've preferred a rotten soul than whatever this was.

She knew it wasn't that he didn't notice her, he was avoiding her sight on purpose. The eyes of someone with guilt, yet, unwilling to make any sort of change for better.


A soft smirk played on her lips as she slowly went back to her sear, resting her elbow on the bar, and her chin on her palm.

"The pretty one with the red irises, and you." She said, directing her words to the clear lead and the one who's eyes darted firm side to side. "You two and one other of your choosing, come along and we will see if this arrangement works well."

She opened a small hatch on her arm, hitting a few cables in particular order before a soft ding echoed from one of the men's earpieces.

"Meet us later at my place, don't be late. I am a busy woman you see, my friends too. Try not to waste our time."

The hatch closed with a click, and Naoma spun her seat back to face the bar, finally getting her drink after all.

The men left, satisfied, unaware of what they had gotten themselves into.


Things had not been kind this year, but she hoped this would finally be the moment to get her co-workers on her side, even if what she had in mind was, atrocious and foul.

She felt lucky, molding the metal on her finger tips as she was deep in thought.

How lucky, she found another necromancer. A very pathetic one at that, sure, but it was still a good test subject for later.

And so, she sipped on her drink in silence, waiting for her companions to be ready to leave.

Perhaps it would be a fun day after all.

Alice found herself lost for a time. Then annoyed, an urge ticked in her mind of cleaning. Why did she want to come here of all places? Because it was over populated by thugs and criminals a good excuse to make use of weapons or talents. Ending the claustrophobic hold crime had on this side of town was a lure to her. A mix of noble intentions and a murderous drive to change things for the better. She was raised to be measured to know control. Find the right time and place for a kill cleaning up what she perceived as evil was taught as meaningless if she were to get caught in the act. So why the anger

She was baffled by how the night had gone. Almost before they had even gotten here the group seemed looking to leave? There was no getting the deva among them to drag the other two on stage yet. They hadn't shown a worldly knowledge introducing others to drinks from elsewhere in the world. No venture was made to seek dance partners or a cute person of interest. They wanted to leave before time allowed to find a good criminal mark to go after. They had been approached by company and those were being told to wait. That wasn't to say Alice was angry with her friends she was just lost.

She was a soldier, an assassin. Used to a heading, knowing a act to portray...

She waited for the pair to leave, their interests sated to meet up with the musician. Once clear the maid spoke. "I'd say whichever body has best defensive means. Personally I'd like to let them take us wherever. Let them think they've all the cards if plotting."

-----‐-----

Outskirts of Jogrun sat a building once ran by a Ruzalania branch. Six stories tall the building had been a research and development structure for power sources. The building called Volkark had been run down by now defending a few years back had let he world run down its surfaces and various factions fight for the territory. In the end Volkark once ran by Issaiah Volk remained in the hands of Volk. He had turned his staff into a gang of his own. Some of which gang was reporting they had found an alluring woman with the company of a popular musician. They had mentioned a third woman but made very little note of them.

In a poorly lit room sat a figure towering in stature, even in a seat and in shadow his hulking frame was apparent. The shadows hid his visage but his hair was such a wild mane the shadow alone the silhouette had a nearly beastly visage. His office was at the top of Volkark the sixth floor was mostly offices but none compared to that of Volk's. On thick chains engines hung from the ceiling works of his old and new, the room with lights off maintained a haunting glow all the same. The various engines pulsing of neon blues and oranges of potent energy. They were works of his a hobby when not busy in criminal affairs, they were also each a trap. Over a dozen about his room a control to them beside his chair...

A raspy sigh escapes the behemoth. "Play along, be impatient. When time comes up bring the ladies here. Message Alvares take his car. Use the emps when the women get into the car. Hopefully it'll knock them out make the dealing far easier to navigate."