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Xana

New member
Weaver
The show was over, it was a hit. As always- and usually, after a show, there was room for celebration. Networking. Typical lackadaisical time-killing before their next adventure. Debate over what to buy, what to pay out maybe- usually there was some sort of beer. Except for that black rum that Xana has ordered from Suldaza and had stashed away in her cart wagon. Because that was specifically hers and the endless yipping that went on for the week after was enough to invoke insanity.

That same rum was being poured into some thick glass, at a small, cracked table, with a few small knicks carved into the aged wood, bruised and beaten with age. Because while Xana really did love that particular rum, she would share it with a good friend.

She neatly cuts the flow, picking the cup by the edge, gently swirling- watching the captivating allure of the dark liquor, the smell a pleasant aroma to her nose, her ears flickering content as she offers it to her companion.

"So- tell me.."

Xana reaches into her coat, pulling out a deck worn as the table it was about to be played on. A gift from an old friend. Her eyes flicker up. "Do you want to deal first? Or shall I?"

@xahni
 
Since his departure from his enslavers, Azurul had done well to keep a low profile after Bartel departed his company. Trekking through the unknown lands, he had recently paid a visit to his old den, finding it barren and broken down. Nothing to return to besides memories and dust.

Time seemed to blur for the medic as he found himself in the company of a traveling caravan. Run by the owner Xana Mior, a half breed that he found quite interesting. When he encountered her, his gut instinct was not to run but rather to inquire. How did an oddity such as herself still manage around these parts?

His yellow eyes gazed back at her golden ones as she drew out the cards. Swirling the cup in his hand, the smell was not to his liking; however, Azurul was not about to turn down a special drink. Taking a sip, his whiskers and nose twitched from the sensation. Reaching out, he took the card set and began shuffling the deck. Dishing out the cards, he placed the rest of the deck down and gazed at his cards.

"So.. Xana.. What is the next move?"
 
There is a pause, the glint of gold in her gaze sitting on the lightless liquid before her, as if searching for an answer. Her lips press together, lost in thought for a moment. She shook her head- eyes flickering back up to Azurul, with a soft, warm light, before it burns into a brighter fire of ambition.

She glanced down at the cards as the first cards revealed. It takes a moment, but she raises a finger, leaning back in the chair, the wood creaking against her little form.

"First- hit." she pointed at the cards.

She then leaned back forward. "Second."

A pause. "Have you heard of the brothel towards the edge of this town?" Her eyes glanced up. "It sounds like quite an adventure. Supposedly, the ladies there are quite ravishing to look at, the rooms are so heavily decorated with extravagant artwork that you can't even see the wood panel.." Xana continued. "The scent is supposed to be extremely intoxicating. Perhaps even a place to get certain strains of herbs that are otherwise rare." And possibly illegal. But that was left unspoken.

"... I'm curious about it." A queue for the rabbit no doubt. Xana got 'curious' about a lot of things. Prone to distractions of the moral variety- she looked at Azurul with a familiar glance of conflict. A frown. Decisions needed to be made, she just.. wanted a little more insight.
 
Dishing out the next card to Xana, Azurul's ears flicked in amusement. She wanted to steal some solid herbs. Looking at the cards, he laid two down and drew two more for himself. Shuffling them slowly, he weighed it out in his mind. The risk that came with thievery in the Hundred Houses was steep. Especially for half breeds and escaped slaves, the lines of prejudice were steep.

Whiskers twitched his nose, wrinkled, then straightened. "Thinking of investigating the brothel for its wares aye? That is an interesting notion. Narrowing his eyes, he could not hide his interest in these new herbs. There had been rumors and whispers about other medicinal properties they contained. "Seeds.. The seeds would be the most important part to obtain. Recreation is essential so that we can carry it anywhere." Grinning fiendishly, Azurul could only imagine the possibilities.

"You can have the ladies. I am more excited for the air and paintings."
 
Xana's nose scrunched, like Azurul just offended her greatest ancestor, her ears spanning flat, resembling the wings of plane, before they twist and turn back around. The gold in her gaze rolls to the sky in a gallantly exuberant fashion, before they return back to the hare. And the funniest part? She wasn't quite sure how to respond yet. Because Azurul did know her. And as a result, Azurul knew one of Xana's greatest weaknesses.

Xana was shit at romance and flirting. For all of her charisma, her bravado that lit up each performance of her circus and stole the light from the stars themselves: to put it into more modern and comical terms: she flirted like a nerdy redditor who thought they had rizz.

Her eyes narrow, squinting. "What makes you think I want the ladies? You know: I have priorities, Azurul." she responds, flat. Despite her annoyance, the body moves comfortably in the chair, shoulders relaxed, her arms spread across her legs lackadasial. She's comfortable. Content. The hare's company is allowed to stay for now.

She looked at the cards on the table, thinking briefly for a moment. She takes a confident shake of her head, holds her hand out to signal a hold.

The minute the next set of cards hit the table, an uncontrollable "Fuck." escapes her mouth. She literally just gave Azurul a blackjack. Damn it.

"But, there is a lot to look at there.." she trailed, trying to shuffle her annoyance into some inanimate objects near her via a piercing glare. Her eyes flicker back, a little more serious. "I know this isn't typically a folk we deal with. How comfortable do you think they'd be with negotiating with us? Do we want to announce ourselves, try to charm 'em with a few smiles and see if they let up?" Xana inspects her nails. "Or do we just go straight to Plan Z?"

All reasonable questions to ask. Risk exposure and suspicion? Use this as a chance to get a new ally? Risk their front getting unnecessary exposure? Or perhaps was this an enemy that needed to be.. adjusted? She looked to see what kind of insight Azurul could offer.
 
Azurul stroked his chin as Xana threw down her hand. What luck was this? Raising a scarred brow, he questioned whether she was trying to butter him up. No, not dear Xana, losing in general was unpleasant. Watching her posture change, his ears flicked forward at attention. Setting his cards down, Azurul pulled out a small pipe for himself. Plucking some herbs from his necklace pouch, he filled the pipe slowly before lighting it up to smoke. Exhaling in a jet of smoke, he handed it to her.

"If we get to the matriarch, it depends on how you spin it to her. I think that you will be able to put it together. Think about it, you run this established group. You've got the lexicon to put it together. Plan Z would probably need to be done after recon. I doubt that they all go to sleep at one time. Rotations perhaps, but a pleasure house doesn't cease." Azurul waited for Xana to take her hit. Let her sit on the idea, diplomacy would work better for them in this situation.

Without it, it may come to blows. Rubbing his neck lightly, he thought of the idea of fighting possible trained assassins. The place had no known guards from his recollection. Which made him think all things were handled in-house.. "Besides, do you even have a blueprint to hunt it down? Or were you thinking of trying every door?"
 
The pipe comes to her lips, and she sucks a little bit of air, letting the heat hit her chest, and the subtle rush, and fall sit. She holds it for a moment, before releasing her breath in a hiss, the trail of smoke sliding from her mouth slowly, swirling idly into the air. She twists it in her fingers, ever the showman, and offers it back to Azurul, nodding. "Thanks."

She twists in her chair a bit, as if struggling to get comfortable, settling on a bit of an unorthodox position, swinging her legs over one arm of the chair, leaning her back on the other arm. Thankfully, she was a small thing- and ever flexible. So despite how uncomfortable the pose look, she herself looked content. Like a cat. She tapped her fingers in thought, thinking a little harder on it. Her ears twitch, hands smoothing over the bracelets that old friends had given to her over the years. After a pause.

"You're right." she sighed.

"It wouldn't be like.. personally inviting ourselves to other 'friends' in the past." Her legs swung, as if they somehow were a pulse of the activity her mind was going through. Slow and methodical. "I did acquire a plan, from the town's archive. Could you believe it used to be a granary? So it has a rather large underground network. With an pulley-elevator system. The little holes that we thought were decoration tiles? Around the building? Vents." she turned her head. "Kinda clever actually."

If only her magic worked at will like she WANTED it to. A frown. Could have made this all very easy.

"Maybe we can head there tomorrow. I'd say tonight, but I know the show was a little rowdy. Not sure how you're feeling." she mumbled. She looks at Azurul carefully, her face stern. But her golden eyes were warm.
 
Taking the pipe back, Azurul watched her get comfortable. Blinking slowly, moments like these were etched into his memory. Relaxation and contemplation over new information. An old map, she said? Were the rooms still the same? Secondly, would they survive the vents with the second hand? Daring and a bit reckless.. Worth it. Flexing his paws, the knuckles cracked in excitement.

"Well, we can scope it out first? At least the outside, this way we can check out the area. Always good to have a plan. I dare say a conversation would be most helpful. If we can even get close to the matriarch, we could end up seeing the room in person. This way, we can plan this out for several more days. Then we get into it. So we walk out with it all." Azurul nodded lightly at Xana. Tapping his lip with the mouthpiece, the hare rolled his shoulders slowly.

"Let us go elsewhere, a change of scenery would do me some good." Gesturing for them to head out, he did not trust prying eyes. Keeping his tone and voice low, he spoke only loud enough for Xana to hear him. Rising from his chair, he took his glass with him. He waited for Xana to rise, offering her his elbow so he could walk her to the next location.
 
"We can."

She slides unceremoniously off the chair, reaching her arms up for the sky and stretching, her tail twitching as she pulled her arms up, standing on the tips of her toes, before she relaxed back with a contented sigh.

Xana didn't take his arm. But Azurul probably knew that. Her strange interpretation of independence carried her forward, arms folded, but, of course, stopping to glance back at Azurul to make sure he was following. Those eyes unmoving. A bit of uncertainty. But it was always there. Always. People had a tendency to disappear around her. And although she tried to pretend it wasn't there- the fear that yet another person might leave too.

She glanced away.

They move forward, her head tilting to the left, to the right, finishing stretching herself. "Alright- so, where do you want to go?"
 
Azurul did not wait to keep pace. Gesturing forward, he continued to walk with her. "We can head back to the rooms so we can have privacy." Gazing watchfully over the crowd as they ascended the steps, Azurul was sure no one would bother them. Giving a small gesture, two caravan guards stood by the steps, talking.

Moving down the hall, he opened the door to the study for her, allowing her to find her place inside before closing and locking the door with shroud. "Xana.. Let's see that map then." Lighting a few candles, he set the lamps on the table and sat opposite the Ringmaster. Taking another smoke from his pipe, he laid it on the table within Xana's reach. Whether or not she smoked more as they spoke would be on her.
 
It was almost instinctive, she reached for the pipe, putting it to the side of her lips as she inhales sharply, letting the smoke slip from the other side as she holds it in her hand, twisting it around like a fidget toy, careful not to lose the contents as her eyes fall slightly. Hmm. It slowed her a bit. Good. Azurul often said she needed to slow down when she was reviewing plans. A reminder to the traits she appreciated in the rabbit.

The map is rolled out on the table, and with a hand, she spreads it out to smooth any wrinkles. Indeed, the building was far more complex than it was led to believe on the outside. Three floors. Now, with it being a little out-of-date, old cursive revealed the top floors to have windows that allowed for proper aeration and cooling. But below, it looked as if they stored a great deal of wines and such at one point. Three wings, all aerated with vents that reached the ground level. Small, but definitely something Xana or other members could navigate. They would definitely need to be careful, the vents were certainly a maze, but what was interesting was a large room towards the northern end of the building.

It looked at one point to be some sort of preparation room. But now, if you visited that particular area on the ground level, it was replaced by a giant mosaic of glass that many commented and believed to be a work of art placed there by the business to celebrate the town.

Xana raised an eyebrow. Because she had other ideas.
 
Gently tapping the floor with his paw, the rabbit peered over the open map several times. "Well, you may need to take Noodles with you through the vents.. She will be able to keep the ups from downs in mind and backtrack so you don't get lost. Hypothetically, I am curious about possible shroud traps in the vents. If it were me running this place, I would have those trapped and only disabled by certain runes." A scarred brow rose as he pointed out several more areas for them to travel and check.

"I'm banking on the storage sections to either be converted to large rooms for pleasure or raw materials. I am wondering if there are any hidden rooms besides the obvious mosaic. You two may need to split ways." Gesturing between the vent space from the third to the other floors, he circled the space. "Perhaps bring a third so you guys can divide and conquer all the floors.." Azurul rubbed his chin gently before tapping the front door.

"I will play my role to keep people busy and try to meet with the Mistress of the house. Just don't come looking for me, I will need to submerge myself into the environment. Get in and get out." Tapping the table gently, he gestured for the pipe back.

Looking at her and back at the map, he waved his hand over the parchment and nodded to her. "What is on your mind?" Azurul was curious to know what masterpiece she would come up with.

@Xana
 
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