trans_9 | You drive a hard bargain [Closed]

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You drive a hard bargain [Closed]

With Howard's slightly unconventional means of information-gathering, the mission was now set to move forward. They knew where the artifact was and who could give them access to it. Now all there was left to do was bargain for it. And try not to lose the shirts off their backs while doing so.

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"A token must be more than empty words," the Countess chides (despite the fact that she has been basking in such empty words for the better part of six hours.

"Unless, of course, you have some prior obligation that surpasses this one in importance," she adds, almost disdainfully. "You could, of course, unveil exactly what it is you wish to bestow upon us in exchange for our most generous blessing."

And suddenly...

The curtains covering the pavilion entrance flew apart, revealing five ominous figures robed in black up to their eyes. They stomped forward in unison, ignoring the cowering of the attendants. Then the one in the lead made a gesture, and they threw off their robes.

Underneath they were dressed in cloth-of-gold, embroidered all over with little golden spheres. More little spheres dangled from their hems and hung in chains around their waists, but of more interest were the weapons in their hands: daggers with wavy-edged blades, short swords, a hammer crusted with what looked very much like blood, and a ball (golden of course) and chain mace. Light gleamed on the weapons, but shone even brighter in the mens' crazed eyes. They stood in menacing poses as the leader spoke.

"We are the Order of the Orb, the Guardians of the Golden Globe, and we have discovered your vile plan, Countess! The Orb of Enlightment will never leave the soil of Epicurea! Blaspemers! Kill them all, they are blasphemers!"

With a unified roar they sprung forward, weapons rising...

Anwei ruthlessly clamped down on her impulse to fight; instead she shrieked like an exploding steam whistle and hurled herself backwards, counting on her bustle and dress to act as padding.

"Protect me!" she shrilled, back to the pavilion wall.

If this were not happening to him, in real life, Howard thinks this would have made an excellent cut scene in a videogame. But since it is happening, and those blades look incredibly sharp (to say nothing of the hammer), he's scrambling for dear life.

Nearly tripping over his seat as he shoots to his feet and then drops low, he realizes Anwei's probably his safest bet, not only because she's calling for protection but because he's sure she could use that mouth if she had to. He makes a quick, short sprint to her side, and then does a rather impressive home-run dive under her dress. Thankfully, she should have enough padding to retain her modesty, though she might find it harder to walk with a terrified teenager huddled between her ankles.

Zouichi is up in a flash of white ruffled satin, clotheslining the first attacker with one long-gloved arm. Even as the man collapses, clutching at his throat, he kicks the feet out from under the second, grabbing the third and using his momentum against him to throw him bodily into the fourth alien. The onlookers can hear a sickening crack as the two men hit the floor.

The fifth he takes down with a single punch to the face and a brief spurt of blood. And while the second attacker has taken the moment to get back on his feet, he's quickly put down again; Zouichi aims a spinning back heel kick straight to his chest, and wedge sandals or not, he's sent flying for a short distance before he puts himself through an exquisitely crafted glass table. It shatters upon impact, sending slivers of silvery material skidding across the floor. Zouichi's sudden movement is accompanied by the sight of delicate, flowing gossamer ruffles and a brief flash of thigh, but alas -- it is expertly calculated, and the onlookers were able to see no more.

Zouichi straightens, smoothing his white frilled apron. It's an unnecessary gesture; not a spot of blood has found its way onto his immaculate black-and-white maid's uniform, and not a single ruffle is out of place.

Apparently satisfied, he lowers his gaze once more, deferentially smiling back at the countess and Anwei both. "What an unfortunate interruption. I trust no one was hurt?"

The Countess, Demicountess and Maidens, like the brave nobles they are, have all pressed themselves to the far side of the room, some of them having grabbed their servants to use as shields. One of the petrified servants faints (again).

"My, my," the Countess finally says, picking her way over the bodies and sitting down at her seat as if nothing has happened. "Well. I can see that you have a treasure we'd be remiss in ignoring. Surely, if you want the Orb, you would not be troubled by allowing us to present your servant in the ring? His talents are, apparently, many fold."

Anwei went to move and then paused; Howard was still planted under her skirt, and with his weight tangled in the underrobes she wasn't going anywhere until he came out from hiding. Which put her at a bit of a disadvantage.

Instead of sitting, she clasped her hands together in front of her and thought furiously. Present in the ring...that sounded like some sort of show or exhibition. A dance performance, maybe? Or a fight? But that made no sense, where would they get more assassins to fight him? It's not like there was a supply of killers running around.

"His talents - and his person - are indeed a treasure to me of inestimable value. In a matter of such import, the keystone to such important negotiations should certainly be as priceless as the Orb itself."

What a relief. Zouichi does his presentation, they get the Orb, and they could all get into the shuttle and leave. Finally, it was almost over.

"Sorry, Maw," Howard whispers, disentangling himself from her underrobes and exiting the back of her skirt. Obviously not the most proper response for a servant in the middle of a fight, so he tries to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

He furrows his brow at the mention of the presentation in the ring. What the hell can that mean? Cirque de Soleil for Zouichi? Acrobatics? A short fight? Still, if everything here is wrapped up, they can - thank God thank God - get home, and a few quickly-dispatched assassins and some temper tantrums will be the most of their excitement. He keeps his face impassive as he takes his seat again.

They could go back? It was (almost) over? Zouichi almost sighed with relief. In fact, he wouldn't even shoot Howard a look for his little dive under Anwei's skirt.

He bowed in response to Anwei's words -- just a little more and this would be over.

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You drive a hard bargain [Closed]

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Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!

Re: NEGOTIATIONS: ROUND TWO - FIGHT!