(semi-closed) let me tell you about a little situation

[hackles]

Who: Hallelujah & a bunch of people.
When: April 01 - 04, before the rescue.
Where: Around Capablanca's entertainment ring.
What: Sniffing out the traitors! This clue is happening.
Rating: PG-13 for mentions of sex, stalking, and the torture of a Noir vampire for info.

(ooc. i will be doing personalized starters! most active plot-relevant stuff is spoken for, but if you'd like a thread to swap clues or generally slink around with a rude guard dog, leave a comment or pm me! hallelujah is icly sharing his clues - that alessandra rambaldi is fraternizing with noir vampires, who have been helping with the smuggling effort in capablanca - here.)

Comments

[quaria]

[ Setsuna didn't need to respond. Hallelujah knew well of his capabilities. They both underwent the same training. So instead of acknowledging his statement, he merely gazes out with a serious pair of eyes. Words aren't necessary to know that he's always been ready. He only turns his head after Kavi and Lapis started speaking, worried for their sake though he doesn't say it out loud.

Unlike Hallelujah, who Setsuna fully trusts to be able to take care of himself, Kavi and Lapis aren't on the same wavelength. These two may have combat experience, but they're not as professional as two terrorists who only knew the life of fighting. So he gazes at them in silence, making an said promise to watch over them and ensure that they both remain safe.

He quickly averts his gaze back to Hallelujah afterwards, expecting him to lead on. ]

[hackles]

[ That was that, then! Hallelujah allows his shoulders to rise and fall with a more wayward looking grin, turning on his heel to lead the way. Their path is a well-lit one for now. Treading in to the entertainment district is a mostly innocuous affair. On the surface, it's simply selling the best it has to offer — expensive restaurants serving local Capablancan fare, bars with beautiful singers making sure men stay until the last call, a splash of gold in the casinos here and there.

Beyond that, however... ]

Being pleasant helps when you're dealing with traitors. Isn't that right?

[ Mercy isn't on the menu for those who like to betray. It's funny, coming from him, someone who is all bone-breaking force. But Hallelujah is nothing if not loyal to the mission.

Violently so. ]

[umberly]

[ And it looks like they have a fearless (violent) leader to follow, too. Here is to hoping Hallelujah won't lead them straight into their demise. He seems confident enough but confidence doesn't necessarily guarantee positive results.

Kavi tucks his hands into his pockets, the picture of someone taking a casual stroll but the small, fierce grin on his face shows that he agrees with Hallelujah. ]

It would only be right to be polite.

[ He slows his pace a little to fall behind the others, a subtle shift. Setsuna works at close range and while Kavi has no idea what Hallelujah works with, he knows that Lapis is also a caster. Meaning that it doesn't matter if an enemy approaches from the front or the back. There will always be enough space for someone to start casting. ]

[oneirism]

[Even of their fearless leader is a bit... violent and crazy, she trusts Halle enough to not lead them directly into a super bad situation. Though at least now it would be easier for Lapis to get out of one, thanks to her new illusion ability.

So she quietly follows behind, hands clasped behind her back as she walks, humming softly in agreement with Halle's and Kavi's words. Traitors only deserved the greatest hospitality, after all.

Though she glances over as Kavi falls a little behind, before she turns her eyes ahead once more. She keeps her guard up as they walk, listening and watching closely for anything unusual - ready to cast an illusion if she needs to. Her illusions aren't perfect, but that only just makes them more terrifying anyway.]

[quaria]

[ Lapis and Kavi are both worried about Hallelujah, but Setsuna hasn't shown any sign of concern at all. If either of them pays enough attention, he in fact is not even looking at the directions that Hallelujah is already covering. He instead focuses on the areas that his fellow Meister hasn't been observing, which is very likely returned mutually, indication their perfect synchronization.

As their so-called stroll continues into the depths, the worse the scenes are becoming. While the outer streets look stunning and respectable, the backstreets are not the same way. Further and further in, more undesirable kinds of people can be seen roaming about. And if there are any decent people around, they're noticeably keeping their personal belongings as close as possible with their wary gazes most guarded.

Welcome to Sciocchezza Street, a sign indicates. ]

[hackles]

"Chezza", as the locals so affectionately call it. [ Someone's done his homework. Hallelujah breezes past the sign with an aura that can be called threatening, at best. He'd suggested they dressed down, but the fact of the matter is that they stand out here. Streets are lined with trash and shifting shadows. Drunks and degenerates populate every nook and cranny. They practically glow in comparison. Hallelujah just has to make sure he sets the bar high as far as intimidation goes. ] Pathetic, isn't it? All this shine on the surface, and look what you get when you dig it up!

[ Home sweet home. How many times had he walked Allelujah through places like this? ]

Still, you can find little birds.

[ Ones that chirp well, saying things like mafia. ]

[umberly]

[ Hallelujah does a fine job of acting as a beacon and a warning at the same time. His aggressive, threatening stance, the way he breezes past the sign without a care in the world and all the disregard for safety he can manage... All of that will draw attention to him.

And, hopefully, away from the others.

Kavi would tip his hat at that is he wasn't so busy keeping up with Hallelujah's long strides and still appearing nonchalant.

He hums a low tone of agreement, eyes focusing on the slumped over form of some bozo before checking on Lapis and Setsuna, just to make sure. ]

Birds will always sing if you encourage them.

[oneirism]

[Lapis glances around curiously as she keeps following along, tugging at the fabric of the sweater she's decided to wear. She's certainly dressed down, but considering how Lapis normally dresses, that still sticks out a bit.]

... Most sparkly cities are like that. They have to find some way to cover up the dark parts.

[Is all she says in response to Hallelujah's words, folding her hands behind her back as she keeps walking. Ducking her head down slightly so she doesn't catch any random strangers eye by mistake, even as she keeps glancing around.]

[quaria]

[ Birds? Sparkles? Setsuna can appreciate poetry, but in a situation like this he would rather not deal with them. He doesn't even need to say anything to get the point across. The sights and sounds around them is more than enough to inform them of what they're about to get into. It's not going to be a nice stroll, an obvious fact ever since accepting this job in the first place. It's a job directly telling them to either capture or kill people.

This is exactly why Setsuna isn't responsive. He just wants to get this job done as quickly as possible, with the least bloodshed, with the least lingering. While this is natural for him and Hallelujah however, it isn't the same for Kavi and Lapis who aren't used to such dirty jobs. That's why he's remaining sharp, glaring with those soulless-seeming eyes of his whenever any of the possible cutthroats would look at them more than necessary. Two experienced terrorists are enough to keep lesser troublemakers away from their group.

Not long from now, the group eventually encounters an area that is surrounded by men and women in suits. From their stature alone, it's obvious that they're also playing the same intimidation game. Enter their dominion, and there will be problems. ]

[hackles]

[ Oh, Setsuna didn't like that, huh? Hallelujah can immediately tell, breathing out a harsh laugh that only he may get. Those eyes of his have seen streets worse than the likes of this warred over, gone up in smoke and flame. Talk of lovely things, sparkle and shine, the freedom of birds, that must get to him. By comparison, Hallelujah's needs are simple, as is his understanding of the situation. ]

That's right, girlie.

[ Hallelujah's voice has dropped as he addresses Lapis, and by association, Kavi. Like a rumble, a warning. ]

It's all bad for tourism, otherwise. You'd have guys like that looking uptight on every corner. How fucked up would that be?

[ "Guys like that" being the first of the suits to appear. Hallelujah sees them in the distance, knowing that their presence alone must mean something worth protecting is nearby. While he'd like to just dive into a pile of them to see what they've got, he instead takes a sudden veer into an alley to their left, well before their group is within sight. It's darker, and cramped as hell. But it's not crawling with lackeys, so they've got that going for them. ]

[umberly]

[ Despite the entire situation, the corners of Kavi's mouth lift. He can't help it, this is a dangerous situation and he should be nervous and he is, it's been ages since he has done anything remotely like this and yet - He trusts those around him to have his back.

It's why he follows the others into the alley, focused on not looking back over his shoulder at the approaching group. It would likely set them off. Instead, he inwardly mulls over their numbers and how to deal with them.

Low under his breath, Kavi speaks and there is an odd, chipper undertone to it all. Perhaps it is the imminent fight, maybe it's to cover the old, familiar tension settling his his stomach. ]

Not fucked up enough, apparently.