Chapter 17: The Season for Taking

[John Sweet]

(TO ANYONE WHO DOESN'T ALREADY HAVE AN RP PARTNER)

John walked into the store, not really looking for anything. During his youth, the managers sometimes called him a "window shopper", due to the fact he never really bought anything. No matter, in today's world, he was on the top, and that was all that really mattered.

John continued on his journey through the store and picked up the occasional item to look at it. Finally getting to a small book, he opened it and began to flip through it's pages.

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

Ariel looks up from his work and is mildly suprised that someone has stopped by his office so soon. He sits up a little taller in his seat and look Tyler over. "Already?" He asks. "Well, you are the first to submit a design. Tell me a little about your designs." Ariel states. He folds his hands together on the dark wood of his desk and gives Tyler his full attention. Despite being interupted and disrespected, he maintains a cool and even pleasant demeanor.


(How this will work is every character that wants to submit a design will click the dice roller after they have explained their design. The person who rolls the highest number will win the contract. If there is a tie, then two companies will work together on the project.)

[wyvernlord]

Tyler groaned on the inside of his head. He always hated being questioned on anything. As a child, he'd been interrogated plenty of time, as an adult, he was still interrogated when captured, and now, as a demi-god, no much seems to have changed. Why could people shutup, take what he offered, and let him move on with his afterlife?!

Tyler said, "As you probably know, my company, The Black Wings, is a small mercenary company the Manalists and wealthy companies often hire to stand guard, assassinate some idiot, or even create products involving defensive technology," Tyler explained with various hand gestures.

"Luckily for you, we were working on a monitoring system anyway. The majority of companies desired to have one, and apparently the Manalists want one now.

What my companies' product basically does is detect the chemicals released by nervous individuals on a world-wide scale. The body releases various hormones, and this machine, or should I say, series of satellites finds, identifies, and rules out individuals who release these chemicals."

[dice=6]
[rand=0390615281648933904703945061191916539908811589702964033190113957971334]

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

"That's very interesting. I've never heard of anything like that before. I would really like to see that design. Hmm...well, maybe I can send a staff person to visit your company on my behalf and report back to me. Can that be arranged?" Ariel asks. He plays with a pen on his desk, twirling it in his thin fingers as he talks to the mercenary. He wonders why the man appears so intense and uptight. He wonders if it may be the result of drugs or something. In any event, Ariel will have to think of someone to visit the company on his behalf.

(when you reply, you can hit the dice button and it will show you your roll. Others will have to beat that roll to win the contract.)

[wyvernlord]

Tyler groaned on the inside once again. His base of operations was a secret never to be revealed to some dumbass mortal who didn't really know anything about the world and the "other worlds." However, Tyler's men wanted the money, and he had to keep them at bay to keep them from destroying everything.

"Very well," he finally replied. "However, I want to bring one of the many satellites to a confidential location, where one of your representative will meet me and well will discuss the matter. Sound fair?"

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

"Sure, write down the coordinates for the nearest teleporation booth to this location. I will send someone to that location...at the time set by you." Ariel replies. He hands Tyler the pen that he had been playing with along with a small square of yellow paper. He waits for Tyler to write down the coordinates. At least someone has already come forth. The idea certainly had merrit too. Ariel is impressed with the plan and can't wait to find out more about the design.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"Hey Lon, I hear someone downstairs. Why don't you...come over sometime. I've gotta go check it out." With that, I hang up on my brother and head out of my room. I wander downstairs and see a little girl looking inside the fridge. I scratch my head, since I don't think any of us have any relatives. Maybe someone around here is baby sitting her.

"Hi there little girl, what are you doing here?" I ask her.

[~Ophelia Vespera~]

Ophelia was just getting ready to close up her shop for a while to go deliver the bouquet of red carnations, when she heard the bells on her glass door chime. She switched her gaze from locking the door of the greenhouse to.. what could only be described as a "bizzare sight". She couldn't help but break into a smile at him. Boy was she getting quite the customers today!

"Good afternoon, sir. How may I help you?" she asked holding back a chuckle and stuffing the key into her pocket.

Ophelia wasn't really the suspicious type and tended never to assume the worst of anyone, unless given good reason. Yet most people would find a man with red eyes and black leather clothes walking into a flower shop as a good reason to be skeptical.

[Dr. Lonnrot Kukkanen]

Lon came into the apartment building about 30 minutes after his sister hung up on him. The walk towards the teleportation booth was a good walk, almost 2 miles, but it was always refreshing to get outside and out of the office.

Lon continued to walk into the apartment building until he saw his sister.

"Hilja, how are you," he said as he opened his arms in a friendly hug.

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

He approached the desk, keeping his arms firmly at his side as he gazed at the flower shop keeper woman. "I'm here to get some flowers."

Obviously.

Before he could make himself look even more stupid, he decided to quickly go into detail. "You see, a lovely woman is having a birthday today." Ceph stopped for a second to think on what he would say next.. He looked at the floor and then back to the woman, raising his leather gloved hands a little to look more intelligent.

"-But, I don't know what kind of flowers would be most suitable.."

[~Ophelia Vespera~]

"Well, would you happen to know the lovely woman's favorite color?" Ophelia asked kindly, "That would be a good start. I actually have some wonderful roses that come in several different colors.. red, purple, pink, white and yellow I believe.. They've just begun to bloom. I can trim some now for you, and in just a day or two they'll be fully blossomed. You can never go wrong with roses."

She unlocked the greenhouse door and tried opening it, but it did not budge.

"Damn this door.." She murmured and shook the door by the knob.

When that didn't work, she pushed with her shoulder and then with her whole body. Still nothing. She stood back from her battle with the door, panting. She smiled at Cephrien bashfully.

"Heh.. Hold on just a moment, sir.. I'm afraid, this door requires a little more physical force from time to time to get it open." she told him, then turned to the door and kicked it aggressively with her foot.

The door swung open and banged against the inside wall, echoing inside. She smoothed down her apron properly.

"There we go.. After you sir." she motioned him into the greenhouse courteously and led him into the colorful fragrant oasis of flowers and plants. It was a very astonishing contrast to the metal jungle of Rome that lay right outside, and even though she only sold flowers, she had many various other plants that she did not sell that she kept in back. Vines crept up walls and small trees hung over the rows of flowers.

"Excuse the clutter.. I really need to start trimming some of the plants. It's starting to look like a jungle in here."

[Master Scrag]

To John Sweet

Master Scrag was not one for public appearances. He especially hated shopping. Too many people for his comfort. So, it was a little surprising when he appeared behind John Sweet, who was window shopping. The Master was not sure what the purpose of John's shopping trip was. Perhaps to find a birthday gift for Annette Rosenthal.
"Hello John." The Master weezes. Even before uttering a word, the stink of decay that follows Master Scrag announced his presence.

"I suppose you're looking for a birthday gift for Annette Rosenthal. Hmm...I always find it strange why humans celebrate getting older...their nearness to death. I don't celebrate my age." The Master states. "I think that the temple should outlaw the celebration of birthdays. It is in essense the celebration of weakness."

[Ariel Tal Shachar]

To All Manalist or Capitalist Characters

After Tyler leaves his office, Ariel checks his calendar. He notices that it is Annette's birthday, which he feels embarassed that he almost forgot. He will have to do something. Annette is one of the hardest working, most dedicated people that he knows. He decides that he will throw her a surprise birthday party at Global Bank. It will be held in three days, in Switzerland, in the conference room of Global Bank.

He makes several calls to arrange for a cake and flowers, as well as other food and entertainment.

With this done, he sends a message to all of the business and political leaders he knows, as well as his Manalist contacts, about the birthday party.

(all well off/powerful characters are invited to a birthday party in Switzerland. It will take place in three days...)

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

"Oh hi ...it's good to see that you are here!" I reply to my brother. I turn back to the little girl. "I just noticed there was a little girl here, so I was trying to figure out who she is. Maybe Armin or one of the roommates is baby sitting. She is pretty cute!" I say cheerfully.

"How has work been?" I ask him. I start to fix myself some tea. I fill the pot and put it going on the stove while we talk. Tea is one of my favorite things.

[††Venice "Cephrien" Ashgrove††]

Ceph simply stood there and watched as she struggled with the door. Although he could easily rip it open himself, he didn't find the nerve to offer her any help. So he quietly waited until she won over the entrance to the green-house. When she invited him in, he stepped over to the Green-House and calmly walked past her and into the labyrinth of lushious greenery.

"I don't know her favorite color. I don't even really know this person myself." Ceph confessed. He wouldn't really hurt to say so.