The Citadel of Sorcery

[Bern]

Neptune

"You're cute but I prefer your other form, so you're some sort of shape shifter huh...." She scratched her head as she tried to figure out what it was. Not knowing something really got on her nerve and this was no different, and she had noticed the toys too. She was gonna pack then up Buuut....

She  grinned smugly and put her hands on her hips then leaned forward slightly as she called her customer on the claim. "If you're that good at seeing things why don't we make a bet? I'll give you a 10% discount for each one of my sizes you get right."

[Panda]

Neil

Nicole shrugged at Neptune's evaluation, the werewolf unable to help a slight smirk as the woman's frustration played out. Her offer had Nicole returning the smile as her eyes lit with mirth, however, Nicole reaching out to pull Neptune in closer. For a brief moment, her focus sharpened to a razor's edge, Nicole scanning Neptune one last time and comparing with her own measurements.

"Hm, your three sizes?" she said, relaxing again as she locked her eyes to Neptune's, "I'd say Bust 87, Waist 58, and Hips 85. While we're here, I'd say you're probably an E-cup and...48 kilos. Wonder how much work it is to maintain a figure like that around here?"

[Bern]

Neptune

"He-hey! You gotta be cheating there-there's no way you got all of them right! And of course it's a lot of work, I have to keep my appeal up, at least half of it comes from looking like this, Running a business is all about appearances."

She pushed herself closer to the shape shifter and whispered in her ear. "And the ditziness is an act too.... Guys are way more likely to accept my prices if they think I'm a bit dumb. But I can't let you get away with a 50% discount either~"

[Panda]

Neil

The werewolf watched Neptune with just a little bit more smugness than she'd care to admit, her grin widening right up until the purplehead leaned in. Between the sudden switch to a more serious Neptune, her closeness, the way the purplehead's figure pressed up against hers, and the quiet whisper, Nicole could've sworn the woman's hair had just turned jet-black for a moment. A familiar voice crept into her ear for all of a moment instead of Neptune's, the shapeshifter starting to lean back before she caught herself, quickly shaking off the reminiscence.

"Seems like it's been working out pretty well for you so far," Nicole whispered back, pressing back against her in turn as a slight flush spread across her face, "As for the discount, well. I'll be fine taking a lower discount, but I wonder what you'll offer to make up for it~?"

She already had something in mind, of course, but what was the harm in letting her squirm for a bit?

[Bern]

Neptune

The purplehead wore a far mor eerily smile now, she had noticed the reaction which meant her approach had been effective. So rather than pull back she pushed forward when the suggestive question was posed to her by her target. She wrapped a hand around Nicole's waist and another around her neck to prevent her from pulling back again. She would catch her.

Her hot breathe lingered over the side of her client's face as well as her neck, Neptune was breathing more heavily than before, that moment just before you reeled the catch in was so exciting. "Whatever you may want from me... Everything is negotiable with me, everything~"

[Panda]

Neil

Nicole quickly found her attempted retreat stymied, even before she had the chance to halt herself. The purplehead was pressing more firmly against her now, her chest pushing against the werewolf's as she was held in place. Heated breaths tickled her neck and her cheek, Nicole unsure what was working Neptune up more, the proximity or the prospect of a new commission. Or it was just another sales tactic, though the darker girl found herself beyond caring at this point. Even the workshop seemed to change around them now, turning darker and slightly lesser cluttered, lit by soft moonlight drifting in through a window as that familiar voice crept into her ear again. The girl had her good and cornered, and congratulations were in order for that. Still, a cornered beast was often more dangerous than expected.

"Everything?" Nicole said after a long moment, her blush spreading further as she wrapped her arms around the purplehead's waist in turn, seemingly transfixed by the forgemaster, "Quite the deal you're offering."

Then her grip tightened and she suddenly shifted back to Neil, flesh flowing like quicksilver yet remaining firm as he hoisted Neptune up off the ground, arms still wrapped around her waist. Steely grey eyes bored into hers as he brought his face closer to hers. With mere inches separating them, however, his lips curled up in a heated smirk.

"Careful now, are you sure you want to be offering yourself up so freely?" Neil said, his curiosity getting the better of him.

[Bern]

Neptune

"If you don't even go all in then where's the fun in it?"

She wrapped her legs around the now masculine form that was the same that had first entered her shop. "But you're the one who should be careful. Going around and hunting prey that's way out your league, you naughty boy-"

[Panda]

Neil

The werewolf smirked at Neptune's reply, seeing that familiar face again, before glancing behind the purplehead for a moment. Carrying the girl with ease, Neil moved her over to the nearest convenient table, nudging its contents aside with Neptune before setting the girl down on it.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Neil mused, "It wouldn't be my first hunt."

With that, the werewolf closed the gap between them, one hand moving to the back of her head as he pulled her firmly up against him pressed his lips to hers. He practical sealed them closed for a long moment as he took his time tasting her, relishing every feeling he could. Then he pulled back, just as suddenly, eyes alight with heated sparks as his eyes bored into hers.

"So, how about half of the original discount, and we go 'all in' as you call it," Neil said, quickly catching his breath, "And I'll run errands for you to pay the rest off."

[Bern]

Neptune

"Then that's settled! No worming your way out of that!"

She'd gotten him exactly where he wanted him, as a new fresh errand boy. This would be so much fun, the amount of rare materials she could get with a shapeshifter working for her was an exhilarating thought. She leapt of the table and did a victorious spin before facing him again, seemingly unaffected by the recent make out session.

"Now what do you want? The bigger it is, the more I get to work you to the bone now heehehe..."

[Panda]

Neil

Neil raised an eyebrow as Neptune suddenly broke off from the heated closeness the moment he proposed his deal. The werewolf looked at her for a moment, before shaking his head with a bemused chuckle, realizing that she'd gotten just what she wanted after all.

"What do I want? A new hunting outfit will do for now," Neil said, "I'll need it light, armored, quiet, and it'll need to fit me in more shapes than this one. Well, I'd like it to look nice as well, but I'm sure I can trust a forgemaster of your caliber to manage that anyway. Can you make it self-repairing? I'd imagine it'd be troublesome to come back frequently for repairs."

[Bern]

Neptune

"Mhm... Mhm.." Neptune nodded and then starting shooing him away. "Come back tomorrow and I'll have something ready work fo you. We can discuss the exact payment method if you're satisfied. But I gotta work on some things now and you're in the way big time Mr. Massive.."

[Panda]

Neil

"Tomorrow then," Neil said with a nod, giving Neptune one last look before turning and strolling out, his mantle billowing slightly behind him.

Looks like that'll be another familiar face to see in my sleep.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

Continued from the Pleasure Palace

Lights flashing, music pounding on his ears, a man and his motorbike shot through the city. The red streak crossed the highway streets, swaying and swerving until it finally arrived at its destination. A brake and a cloud of dust kicked up in the air, and the man took off his helmet with a relaxed smile.

"So this is... the Citadel? Mon dieu."

The architecture twisted and stretched unnaturally, like some freaky version of a wizard's tower... but a whole damn neighborhood. People of all shapes, sizes, colors and digit counts walked around, greeting and otherwise going by their day to day under an eternal twilight. And of course, horrifying storms and thunder crashed far off into the distance, blistering the skies with all sorts of colors. Thank the heavens this was all the way back there, and not here.

He scratched the back of his ear aloofly and sighed. That thing in the distance, it was enough to give him chills.

"This doesn't seem to be the kind of place where you'd find sushi. That old man... what a client. This is going to be one tough job."

But no sense beating around the bush. There was plenty to do, and only so much time to fatten up his wallet. That's why he came all the way here, and why he went as far as to look for 'her'.


A drug-fueled nightmare of neon colors and assaults to the sense later, he swaggered his way up to the front door of the shop. Opening it wide with a fell swoop like it was his best friend's place, his smile stretched from ear to ear and he greeted the owner with the best cheer in the neighborhood.

"Hey!"

...But the whole place was barren and empty. He just stared at the totally vacant building, then looked out to make sure it was the right address. Huh...

He had to drive all this way, and the place had moved? Today was getting peachy at this point. No, that couldn't be right. Maybe if he asked around a bit, he'd figure out where she was. But gas was getting just way too expensive these days.

Continued in Campus Town

[Aiden]

Outer Wards - Lapidarian Enclave

Early Evening

There were a multitude of shops and compounds in the Outer Wards of the Citadel of Sorcery. Each was under the protection of the most militant of magical orders, those whose low status but high membership afforded them the least abundant access to the Omphalos' mana - but also the most access to the world beyond the Citadel's fearsome walls. They would barter, then, with the Orders closer to the center of the district for increased access to mana in exchange for facilitating commerce between them and the outside world.

This commercial activity most typically took place in special neighborhoods within the militant orders' Outer Wards - compounds controlled by some other inner order or another to provide goods and services to visitors from beyond. The Lapidarian Enclave was one such compound, a place surrounded by shimmering walls of violet and azure light projected up from crystalline emitters buried in the ground which violently shocked anyone attempting to reach down to pry them out. Within the borders of this mystical barrier was a large medieval style stone structure with a trio of white towers rising up, shorter than the central tower belonging to the ward's dominant order and yet quietly drawing in power toward themselves from it to those with the sight to recognize this.

It was open for business still, advertising 'one-shot spell quartz,' 'warding services,' and 'enchanting work by commission.' All one had to do was walk up, announce their intention to purchase, and the barrier would let them in and open the way to the emporium floor...

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

The Elven magus had found herself in this very emporium of magic as a result of her quest for shiny magical trinkets which would help Sage cheer up. However, she'd been...

Rather disappointed with most of that which was on display. They failed to interest her keep eyes-powerful tools in their own right, to be sure. On a better day, she might have even purchased a few of them. But not what she desired at all. Not right now. Not for her Sage.

She wanted grander, more powerful items which could excite even an ancient dragon. And to do that, they'd have to excite her. So, when she plopped a sack full of platinum coins, she'd been lead by the staff to the invitation only section of the store...