|
Post by Melody on Nov 3, 2019 21:27:22 GMT -8
After cleaning up the trash from the ocean caused by the passengers of a luxury cruise liner, Bass offered Melody an opportunity of a lifetime, and it was quite sudden that she could not make a decision right then and there. He reminded her that opportunities only come around once but she only ever made quick decisions in battle, this was something entirely different and completely out of her element. To start, she knew nothing of the company, only the word financial meant it involved zeni, and that alone was interesting. However, Bass was quick to explain that it had nothing to do with her net worth so at this point she had no idea if he wanted to invest in her or was selling her something. Without involving the Truffle village council, presently located in the Westlands, she decided to look into the company herself rather than hear it directly from namekian who worked for Momentum Financial; since she needed an outside view first. An office branch would be opened at the heart of the village, while every resident lived a rural lifestyle, and the people relied heavily on farming for a living by cultivating the land would be introduced to a software program was perplexing; not that she knew that was the product to begin with.
Today she was not wearing her usual beach wear but rather a very simple yellow t-shirt and white pants along with a pair of white ballet flats that were all chosen by her rather than the Fox who ran the clothing store at the boardwalk near the beach. It was quite comfortable and she did not feel the need to sacrifice any of the flexibility in movement for the sake of fashion, although she enjoyed the different atmosphere of clothing by the tourists compared to home; which was starting to seem dated with all the robes and layers of fabrics. Melody dug inside a denim messenger bag to look through her things for a moment so she could figure out which direction to head into.
A quick visual search using her modified relic scouter, combined with all the functions of a capsule Corp cell phone, led her to the largest building in South City. It was beyond her comprehension why anyone would work in a tower building aside from the gorgeous sea views and felt she would rather work outdoors than be clustered inside with a bunch of people. Just looking at the building alone was not enough, the flagship ground floor had several promotions going on, every sign was glaring in various colors and text fonts completely opposite to Bass’ business card; which she caught a glimpse of when he handed it over to the police woman, after an incident with Melody’s long time childhood rival, Icecap from Tundra village. It was overwhelming to get any closer, people were being interrupted from their walks by a kid wearing a zeni costume which looked completely ridiculous, and as much as she desired zeni that was unbecoming.
Melody stood idly by at least two hundred feet from the entrance, completely staring with her violet eyes at the interactions people had with the zeni-kid handing out brochures, and women wearing grey two piece pencil skirt suits leading people inside the building who showed interest in the software product. Before she knew it the zeni-kid handed her a brochure and continued the rounds. It turned out to be an elegant once compared to the other marketing signage in black and white print on laser glossy paper in a neat tri fold. The brochure made the promise of organizing a business model, zeni tracking, micro loan profits, and the ability to file taxes. It was all the things the Duchess had the town council do on her behalf and the only reason she had an interest in it was a lot bigger than she imagined. Bass clearly stated he only wanted to train the best fighters and use Momentum Financing as a method to generate zeni which were both things she personally strives for. The only reason she could not answer him right away was because she knew nothing of the company in the first place, this brochure while she skimmed it quickly, only described the software and it did not amount to anything then. It seemed rather hopeless considering it was not spelled out simply for her lack of basic education apart from just reading it. While the Momentum Financial employees occupied themselves a Panda beastman wearing a pin striped black suit approached her. There was nothing notable apart from the fact that he had a white curly mustache below his nose.
“Hello madam, I see you are holding a brochure of Momentum Financial, and I noticed a bit of hesitation in your eyes. Have no fear, as a representative of Velocity Industries, I have another option for you! My name is Toby and who do I have the honor of speaking to?” The Panda bowed.
“Melody, Duchess of Truffle Village in the Westlands.” She answered simply.
“Oh, how wonderful, a noble from a far off land, I hope that South city has treated you well Duchess.” Toby mused, “Allow me to explain my company further, I just need a moment of your time if you allow it?”
[883]
|
|
|
Post by Lilith Nevermore on Nov 4, 2019 2:05:42 GMT -8
Wealth was power. People with it were born, nay, destined to be served by those without it. Even the lowliest peasant would learn as much early into their pitiful life. Their options were either to submit to their fate and live a meager life... Or to rebel like unruly dogs and die as such. The cold, cruel truth was that people without money were, well, powerless and worthless. It was a situation one had to avoid by any means necessary. Thus countless wars had been waged over wealth. In fact, one such conflict was raging on right now, right here in South City, the very heart of Southern Islands. ...Or so Lilith had heard at least. Honestly, the young noble had been expecting... a different kind of battlefield. Instead of anguished screams, she was bombarded with sales pitches. Rather than bloodied armors and dripping weapons, she faced silken suits and fluttering papers. Modern peasants certainly were... peculiar. She had come all this way in hopes of fixing her monetary situation before it turned into a problem. Erm, well... a bigger problem... Her talents ensured she wouldn’t go hungry at least. But a woman of her status couldn’t be expected to live in a meager shelter every night. No, she deserved a grand home. One with servants and treasures. A new castle to mark a new beginning. And for that she needed money. A lot of it. In order to avoid a third repeat of the recent humiliating defeats, the witch had chosen a subtle approach this time. Subterfuge, to word it nicely. Her usual hat and robes had been warped with magic, woven into an inconspicuous disguise. A dark suit jacket and a white dress shirt conveyed a sense of sharp professionalism. Rimless glasses were perfect for an idle push up the nose while discussing monetary nonsense. Even the long lavender hair had been pulled into a tidy ponytail. Her only complaint was the skirt... Compared to her usual attire, it felt tight. Restrictive. And much too short! Tch... But there was little choice. She hadn’t the faintest idea what manner of potato sacks the commoners wore these days. The closer she copied their ridiculous style, the less suspicion she would arouse. So the small woman found herself near the entrance of supposedly the largest company in the city. Clutching a pitch black book against her chest, she squinted suspiciously at the tower. It was even larger than her family castle had been... She was snapped out of her thoughts by a young boy in a ridiculous costume shoving some sort of brochure at her. Suppressing an irritated scoff, the girl studied the strange words. Soft... ware... micro what now??? She blinked. Confused. Baffled even. The harder she stared at the words, the faster they swirled around her head. This... must’ve been a very ancient spell, for she had never heard the half of these arcane words. However, she did understand that grand amounts of money flowed through here. Now she just needed to learn how to funnel it into her personal coffers... By a twist of fate, the witch spotted another woman who shared a similar look. Not by attire, but rather by expression. Bewilderment. Hesitation. The tell-tale signs of a fish out of water. Luck smiled warmly, as one of the suited sharks swimming around approached the green-haired stranger. Lilith’s crimson gaze focused on the man. A representative of a rival company, if she heard and surmised correctly. And there was her first key to understanding this strange battlefield. With a deep breath, she gathered her focus and hid her intentions behind a polite smile. Attending all those formal parties would, once again, prove useful. She had exchanged pleasantries with lords and demons alike, told them sweet lies with this same smile. This would be no different. ...So she tried to convince herself at least. With light steps Lilith weaved past the people. Reminiscent of a viper coiling around its prey, she slowly and methodically circled closer. Not too close, not quite yet. She was planning to let this Toby fellow speak his spiel before sinking her fangs into the situation. Upon catching the green-haired girl’s name, she quirked a brow. Duchess...? Her gleaming gaze swept the stranger’s frankly shabby attire up and down. Really...? And she had never heard of a place called Truffle Village either. But perhaps she shouldn’t question it. Some nobles were admittedly... eccentric. And if this Melody truly was a lady of status, then getting into her good graces would be invaluable. As soon as a suitable moment presented itself, the viper would strike. “Pardon my intrusion...” A voice light like a silver bell requested the attention of the discussing duo. The lavender-haired girl stepped up to them. “Lilith Nevermore, the heir of the Nevermore wi...ndmill company. A pleasure to meet you both.” She nearly bit her tongue over the slip up, but managed to salvage it. Having to hide her heritage was physically painful, however. Even if her disguise demanded it. “I happened to overhear you and was hoping to learn more about your intriguing company.” She lied through her teeth. The only thing she actually wanted... was a key into the conflict. [880/880] Melody
|
|
|
Post by Melody on Nov 6, 2019 13:07:13 GMT -8
Melody was quite overwhelmed by what Toby had to offer, she understood the principal of being competitive with Momentum Financial, and it was the only lead she had figuring out what the companies were all about so she had no choice but to follow along. It was then that she noticed a young woman dressed in what looked like to be uncomfortable clothing, the button across her chest was barely hanging on by a couple of threads, and it seemed it was because her dress shirt did not stretch properly to her figure. The Duchess narrowed her eyes as the strange woman who called herself Lilith, in the thirty years of living she knew very well the signs of lying, just by reading the behavior and body language; the only detail Lilith seemed to master with her lies was keeping an expert dead stare, as typical liars had dilated pupils and often shifted their gaze to give themselves away, and it did not matter what part of her introduction was a lie since the truth would always prevail.
“I will properly explain our company with great detail. Follow me, I will treat you both to refreshments afterwards.” Toby’s white mustache curled a bit more, intrigued by the two women who were interested in Velocity Industries’ product to generate zeni, and they made the perfect prime subjects for his lecture.
With a palm fist bow, he motioned over to the building directly across from Momentum Financial, the front entrance of Velocity Industries was not as bright colored with bold letters and signage on the windows. No funny costumes forced upon employees or gimmicks that made people believe it was a pyramid scheme. The lobby had slides, rock climbing walls, instead of stairs that led to the second floor, it was an open concept lobby with all the comforts of a homely-office air of fun. The colors of interior ranged from cool grey to a deep green which was the color people thought of money. On the rock climbing wall the Panda beastman grabbed the single red stone, and pulled it towards himself to form a door leading into a dark hallway motioning for Melody and Lilith to walk through.
Being fearless had its merits and Melody went into the darkness first, walking down the hallway until she reached a room with green curtain walls all around, a podium, and a grey long ornate sofa with gold gilding along the fleur de lis design carvings of the wood. There were stage lights above the fifty foot high ceiling and she took a seat on the sofa expectedly. The sofa was hardly worn in and provided ample support as the Duchess leaned against the backrest with her arms crossed begrudgingly. She hated lectures, at least as far as she remembered whenever the Duchies gathered for the annual New Year celebration to improve their autocracy over keeping control of the Western Lands.
Toby perched his big black furry paws over the podium and opened up a laptop with his long claws. As soon as Lilith took her seat he began typing away on the keyboard. The green curtains were drawn upwards towards the ceiling and they found themselves in a circular stage surrounded by a massive crowd of people who were silently waiting in an arena style seating behind the curtains; all bearing the interest of greed over zeni. The stage lights turned from dim to bright spotlights over Toby and the sofa. The beastman tapped into a mic attached to the podium which echoed a light sound in the dark windowless chamber.
“Welcome to Velocity Industries, I am your host Toby, and as special guests I have Duchess Melody, of The Pig Demon Duchies, and Lilith Nevermore heir apparent to Windmill Company. Today you have chosen to side with the ultimate software tool to manage your finances, we offer more than any other programs in the finance industry at a global scale. To start, our product is absolutely free to use, as we strive on the growth of our users to finance our company by small marginal 1.5% stake in every business that sides with Velocity. We offer a stimulus packages for new business clients to allow their company to grow at a fundamental level by signing a contract with us. We are available twenty four hours a day and seven days a week in order to provide great reliable service to our partners so that we can Financially strive together. So what does all this mean? In order to understand what it is we do we must learn from example. Let us begin with searching Duchess Melody in our database.”
Four projector screens lowered against the hexagonal walls of the chamber and a projector mirrored what was on view of the laptop that displayed the user interface of the program which was quite plain at first, with several tabs on the bottom for each with a different functionality.
Toby clicked a tab which had a built in internet search engine, and typed in ‘Melody Truffle Village’. The top ten search results revealed news articles and websites about Truffle Village. The first, being the oldest farmland among the Pig Demon Duchies since Oolong was a fan of mushrooms in his cuisine. The second, was an article about Melody taking control of the land after defeating Duke Trumpet in a duel. The third, was about the OX-Co miners being healed by medicinal red mushrooms from the village to cure a rare disease and in their plight they all quit their mining jobs and moved to the village to help grow more of them. The fourth was the village’s website to place mushroom orders which Toby clicked on and went through the shop to find the highest selling product which was black and white truffles that were their seasonal product, he immediately placed an order using the software and expedited shipping for one hour delivery. A counter appeared at the top right corner of the screen by another company called Zip Deliveries. The counter displayed an hour delivery, so he clicked on the counter which opened a chat box that linked to their customer service team to prioritize the delivery to fifteen minutes by offering an additional ten thousand zeni. The operator was in compliance for the request and updated the counter to change from counting down at sixty minutes to fifteen.
The final website belonged to the Pig Demon Duchies with a long list of villages that had their own websites. Not all of them had produce from their farmlands, others offered services such as Orchestra Village who sold instruments and offered Music Lessons, Tundra Village sold ice blocks and had an Ice Block Academy to create sculptures that are the most popular art displays in the Casinos of Oolong City. Toby chuckled quietly as only the women could hear him as the mic did not pick up the sound when he turned to look over at them. Every business model was a treasure trove to Velocity Industries if he could get the Duchies to sign contracts with the company.
“While we wait for the exquisite delivery of truffles to arrive. We will take the time look for Heiress Nevermore’s Company next.” Toby typed ‘Lilith Nevermore’ and ‘Windmill’ which brought up no website or article results but there were Dragon’s Share DynoTube video results, one of which was uploaded by user named Taco King. The video played a capsule Corp cell phone recording of Lilith Nevermore monologuing her name at a crowd of screaming villagers who were running from her as she froze people over before a young man pummeled her against a wall to save the day but the video was closed at that point. “Well that is a bit violent but if you really desire to have people bend to your will zeni does that alone which is what we are all here for. Zeni dominates the world!”
The crowd cheered feeling pumped while they remained silent during the entire lecture as they were all present for the same thing. The lesson overall was that this software was equivalent to artificial intelligence using everyday c-phone and computer activities to improve generating zeni at every second of the day. As Toby hovered his paws to silence the crowd he continued his lecture by speaking up.
“As you all noted, I was able to expedite my needs to Zip Deliveries using Velocity Industries’ software by a single click of a button, cutting out the need to get involved with a phone operator, wait on queue, and transferring zeni to get what I need in time for our lecture. While Heiress Nevermore is still building her business portfolio if she signs a contract with us we can pull down the DynoTube videos and help her set up a business website as the top result on the internet. As business partners we strive to beat out our competitors together, through the power of zeni, which we rely on everyone in order to grow together and be the best that we can be!” He turned over to the women, “Do you two have any questions so far before I continue?”
“Could you elaborate on what it means to use your software for free and signing a contract? Is that actually optional? I have an issue with commitment.” Melody said nonchalantly still not impressed by anything yet since the software made the process rather quickly cutting out the need to browse different websites.
[1,586] [TWC 2,469] [3,349/10,000]
|
|
|
Post by Lilith Nevermore on Nov 8, 2019 2:16:51 GMT -8
Much to the scheming girl’s delight, the greedy beast chowed down the bait without a second thought. She bowed her head kindly. “Ah, how wonderful. I shall be in your care, good sir.” Fortunately, she had practiced those words exact so much over the years that they no longer made her feel sick. Only mildly nauseous. However, she was confident this would be the end of her humiliation. For now, she only needed to play along and simply fuel the fool’s desire to talk. As soon as she managed to lure the so-called Duchess and this strangely dressed animal somewhere private, she could drop the charade. How little did she know... Following along, the young noble tried her best to blend in with her uncomfortable environment. Appraising the outside of the building, she let out an approving hum. Simple. Functional. Imposing. As any lair should be. Unfortunately, upon entering the building any respect she had left towards the beastman was promptly shattered. Was this supposed to be a company or a children’s park? The dark hallway was met with a suspicious squint. However, when the Duchess entered without hesitation, the short girl hurried after her. Hmph, well, to the oddly-dressed woman’s credit, at least she carried herself fearlessly. Like any self-respecting noble should. When the witch entered the strange chamber, she immediately got unpleasant jitters. Something felt... off. She did take a seat, of course, but failed to find a comfortable position. Ultimately she ended up imitating the Duchess to a degree, leaning back and letting the black tome rest on her lap. She watched with keen interest as the host walked over to some manner of podium and awakened a strange slab. Some manner of electrically powered artifact, she surmised. The kind her cousin, the black sheep of the family, had gotten involved with... Technomancy, was it? Her wandering thoughts were brought to a stop when the curtain rose and... Oh. Oh no.Barely the pale girl managed to maintain her facade. Between the army of yokels staring at her and the strange magics at play, she was anything but comfortable here. So many of the terms flew right over her head that she was starting to wonder if this man was speaking the same language anymore. They swirled around her mind until her eyes were spinning. Her focus on magical studies sadly hadn’t left much time for economics. And there was that word again... Software. It was like something someone had just made up! But at least she managed to take note of Lady Melody's wealth. Finding out that she had won her land in a duel... explained a lot of things, actually. Seeing all she governed earned a fair amount of respect from the former noble. Aaand a tiny amount of envy. Then... the dreaded video started playing... Lilith lost her smile. A mix of reactions washed over her features. From confused to shocked and finally to utterly mortified. That moving picture... showed her humiliation at the hands of that violent brute! It reignited the burning shame from that day, bringing a heated blush onto her pale features. She could hear the strange murmurs and hushes snickers of the audience. They slithered into her mind, gaining a horrifying echo from the darkest corners of her mind. Having her true colors revealed was a minor inconvenience compared to this brazen mockery... Gritting her teeth together, she tore her gaze away. While the audience wouldn’t notice, it felt like the temperature on the stage dropped several degrees. The young lady glared daggers at the host’s back. Those with especially sharp senses could notice a grim aura coiling around her like a violet shroud. Well, maybe that last part was just imagination running wild. But if looks could kill... Toxic little thoughts bubbled in the grim cauldron of her mind. That suited buffoon would pay for his insolence. She had planned to let him live, but now... Oh, the moment he outlived his usefulness, she would end him. Hang him. Bury him alive! ...Hm, no, all those options were much too painless. His final moments had to be absolutely excruciating. Fortunately for everyone involved, the beastman at least was slick with his words. He pulled the strings and made the crowd dance. On the mention of a contract, the murderous aura was withdrawn. Lilith found a reason to smile again. You see... This... Now this she did understand. She had formed plenty of contracts with demons. This didn’t seem any different. There was a promise of power, a set of rules, a price to pay... And a sleazy, lying, no-good creature trying to coax fools into signing away their souls. When the Duchess took the initiative, the young noble was... further impressed. To the odd woman’s credit, she clearly wasn’t fooled by the rosy words thrown at her. Inspired by the nonchalant show of confidence, the frail girl calmed her nerves. That’s right. She hadn’t signed anything. Hadn’t made any promises to anyone. All she needed to do... was to play along. Just for a little longer. Once a suitable moment presented itself, the witch cleared her throat. Beneath the mask, she wanted to politely inquire if the panda would prefer to be seared or flayed alive. A final act of kindness to a dead man. Buuut instead her lips quickly scraped together a slightly less hostile question. “How many business partners have pledged themselves to your cause thus far? Any particularly important entities we should be aware of?” When it came to dealing with devils, knowing their true identities was key. Some commanded armies, while others were impressive in their own right. Conversely, some were worthless runts, while others were too much hassle to control. [969/1,849] [4,318/10,000] Melody
|
|
|
Post by Melody on Nov 10, 2019 11:40:43 GMT -8
The murderous intent of Lilith was as plain as day to Melody, who had seen that aura of death before with her very own violet eyes from her long time childhood rival, and if it wasn’t for a Namekian salaryman who intervened she would not be sitting in this lecture in front of a massive crowd in the first place. Bass had explained that attacking an unsuspecting individual was seen as weak and uncouth to the strongest fighter. Given that the Pig Demon Duchies also found honor in a proper duel, she was also in agreement to some degree. As she breathed out, her breath came out forming a small vapor cloud, the air around her seemed to be colder just moments away from all hell breaking loose. Arching her brow slightly she wondered if all the turmoil Lilith was suffering from was about to get unleashed in public again, repeating what happened in the video, in front of a larger audience of people, and had half her mind made up on whether to allow her to do it. South City was not her domain, so Melody did not care in the slightest how the teen might have felt, or if someone was hurt in the process. It would give her a reason to leave early but nothing happened.
Toby flinched when Melody asked a question but stopped tensing up when Lilith followed with a much competitive inquiry that he preferred answering instead. With a claw he tangled the tip with his white mustache as he mused over over his clever antics. “You can use the software for free at a marginal stake of your present assets or you can sign a contract and grow richer by partnering up with us where we will help the economy of your village grow exponentially.”
“So you're telling me there is still a price to pay.” Melody said flatly.
“Well investments are worth the risk are they not? Without risk there is no potential growth!”
The crowd cheered still excited for something that was seen as an opportunity but Toby was failing at convincing his special guests. Clearing his throat he addressed Lilith’s question, “At this moment we are invested in 50% of the businesses here in South City, Momentum Financial has the other 50% as well as a few branches out in the Northern lands to what amounts to 1% of that region. We are still growing and we will eventually have partnerships throughout the world!”
A drone flew into the arena chamber carrying a wooden crate with a mushroom logo stamped on two of the sides that belonged to Truffle village and Toby took the shipment, opened the top to snap a photo of the contents. Back on the computer he placed the fresh shipment for auction, sensationalized the item description to read as: Fresh rare truffles limited season available same day shipping. A timer appeared again this time it was for five minutes and the bidding war began, the names of the bidders were from the local south city restaurants battling in digital space to buy the prized mushrooms. After five minutes the mushrooms were paid for at a closing price of fifty thousand zeni, at a four hundred percent profit. The crowd clamored at how easily Toby generated zeni in a matter of thirty five minutes.
For Melody it was a ridiculous notion that people bid each other online for overpriced truffles and how pointlessly people spent their zeni over something they just needed a little bit of patience on to acquire. It was simple, if Melody wanted to hustle for some of the zeni that was being generated digitally through the auction, she would have better luck opening a vendor booth at the boardwalk. There was no need to sign a contract as they catered to people who were reliant on their capsule Corp cellular phones and computers to get work done. Granted, software tools are an efficient way to handle a business, it required technological upgrades that Truffle Village did not have. In fact, only the village council had computers to log everything and the other small business owners were still doing their bookkeeping on paper.
The lid on the crate was put back, the drone was standing by, and left to deliver the truffles to the auction winner. Toby was proud of himself as he nodded in approval and spoke to address the audience, “This concludes our presentation, upon exiting you may contact any of our agents to assist you with your zeni stimulus contract, otherwise we thank you for your loyalty.” He turned off the mic and stepped back with a palm fist bow as the curtains were lowered to give him privacy with his potential clients which was no different from being a total leech of something that functioned fine without Velocity Industries.
“I thank you ladies for being my special guests and I hope that you two will sign with us after learning all about who we are as a company.” Toby took out two black leather portfolios in his paws eager to convince them to sign the paperwork.
“I was offered something different from your presentation. Rather than have a stake of Truffle Village it was a stake on Momentum Financial the complete opposite of what you are offering. On top of that, training facilities in order to improve my worth as a Duchess to protect the Western Lands and the Pig Demon Duchies.” Melody explained as she stood up from the couch ready to leave.
“Well allow me a second chance to redeem ourselves as to why you should choose Velocity Industries over Momentum Financial. It is our annual company picnic today and everyone is headed over to Grand Park. It is tradition to have it on the same day as our rival and participate in a series of lawn games. Will you join us?” Toby put away one of the portfolios hoping to at least have Lilith Nevermore’s signed contract agreement.
“Are you ready to sign with us today Miss Nevermore? We will immediately have the DynoTube videos removed if you do.”
Melody uncrossed her arms and placed them at her hips, thinking carefully that she was here to learn about both companies, and she could not give up on uncovering everything herself before setting up an appointment with Bass. The Duchess had to make a final effort to participate in the annual picnic to determine the value of her involvement with such large corporations.
[1,085] [TWC 3,554] [5,403/10,000]
|
|
|
Post by Lilith Nevermore on Nov 12, 2019 2:34:21 GMT -8
Seeing the sleazeball flinch at the questioning didn’t surprise the witch in the slightest. Despite all the flowery language used, the Duchess correctly deduced the catch behind the deal. There was always a price to pay... Her opinion towards the suited creature continued to plummet. So him and his thralls had established barely any foothold in this single city... In fact, out of the warring factions this was starting to sound like the weaker one. By comparison, the noblewoman right next to her controlled an entire region. Envy filled her mind like green mist. Toxic. Suffocating... Oh how badly she wanted exactly what the other woman had... The feeling only grew stronger when the flying servant arrived with a crate. All doubts she had towards the legitimacy of the odd woman’s domain were promptly dispelled. And suddenly the name of the village made sense. Truffles... Such remarkable quality too... Those could have been used for a number of potions, rituals and even high-class dishes. It took the peasants of her former village weeks to scrounge together a satisfactory haul, yet this woman could have a servant deliver an entire crate of them within mere minutes? Envy intensified... However, finally the patience paid off. The young lady allowed herself a sigh of relief when the curtain closed. At last, some privacy. She had to smile through gritted teeth when the sleazy man dared to thank her for the humiliating display. Her eye twitched with barely contained irritation. “Ah, glad to be here...” The polite response was a poor match for the strained expression. Really, the only thing that stopped her from lighting the fool on fire was the fact that she needed him alive. For a little longer at least. Luckily, it didn’t seem the Duchess was particularly fond of him either. As long as she was discreet, she doubted the other woman would try to stop her. While Lady Melody refused the suspicious deal, Lilith took advantage of the distraction. She placed the black book on her lap and whispered a command. “Awaken, o’ Tome of Nevermore and share thy secrets...” Gently the cover opened and the pages started fluttering, as if browsed by invisible hands. Soon a suitable section presented itself. She gently caressed the text and the knowledged flowed through her fingertips into her mind. The polite smile twisted into a chilling smirk. Yesss... These two spells would serve as the tools of her revenge. First, she would get what she originally came for... The witch muttered another incantation beneath her breath. “Flow again and dance to my will, to my unseen quill...” Her pale finger tapped the contract. With a glimmer of arcane power, the ink on the paper came to life. Words unraveled into mere lines. Slyly the squirmed and shifted around to reshape the sentences. Instead of offering anything of hers to the creature’s cause, she would instead graciously accept a tribute from him. That is to say... Every last zeni he ever earned. Oh and a tithe from this company too. No one in their right mind would agree to such a thing, of course. It was probably all kinds of illegal too. But a witch didn’t need to worry about such minor details. Lilith’s eyes lit up with a baleful glow. She stared deeply into the beastman’s soul. Those who met her gaze would find shapeless lights dancing at the edges of their vision. She slid the contract back, gently turned it around and tapped the dotted line. “Would you kindly sign here?” Would you kindly... kindly... kindly... The words took a strange echo, like a fading whisper within one’s mind. Her voice stirred an unnatural compulsion to obey. To follow her every whim. Sadly, she wasn’t as good at casting Hypnosis as her dear mother had been... Hers was weaker. Incomplete. Those who had tempered their mind and body could break out of it in moments, if they were even affected by it. This sleazy worm, however, would be enthralled for, hm, long enough. The strange glow was reflected in the businessman’s stare. He blinked slowly and mumbled something vague in agreement. Like a good, little fool, he scrawled his name onto the contract and took it away. “There is nothing wrong with the contract.” As she spoke, the enthralled man repeated the words quietly. “Anyone who questions it is just afraid to take risks.” Twisting his own words into the commands helped them seep deeper into his mind. “You will follow through, no matter what.” Soon, he blinked again and returned to whatever train of thought he had lost there. Ah, yes, one contract had been signed. He could consider that a personal victory, right? Right. And the faint glow in his eyes still lingered... With the monetary question answered, Lilith found her charming fake smile again. She clasped her hands together, chiming eagerly. “Oh, I would love to join this picnic of yours. I feel it will prove very entertaining.” Where the Duchess pondered about the value of involvement, the witch had already picked a side... That she would ruin. Honestly, the war between these companies was now secondary to her own goals. But conveniently enough... Any war would also end when one side could no longer fight. Rising from her seat, she carefully adjusted her skirt. Quiet words drifted across the air. “Oh, and Toby...” Her smile vanished. “It is Lady Nevermore to you.” ...A small, but important distinction. [920/2,769] [6,323/10,000] Melody
|
|
|
Post by Melody on Nov 13, 2019 14:47:59 GMT -8
It was suspicious that Lilith agreed to sign anything, until it was clear, for a second the Duchess witnessed some of the text of the hard copy print of the contract change about, followed by Toby speaking with a different tone. In fact, he seemed quite obedient, and passive like a mindless rudimentary Android missing personality upgrades. Melody recollected overhearing some strange spoken words and recalled such whispering in the dark forest of Baba Yaga’s domain. Everyone in the West Lands avoided the dark forest solely for the strange creatures that lurked there and whatever witchcraft took place by unknowing visitors. The locals were wary of such dark arts capable of corrupting the minds of people with nothing but a single whisper and it took no effort from the teenager to manipulate the Panda so easily. It served him right, while Melody wanted to manipulate people with zeni to do her bidding, this beastman was swindling people of their assets on the promise of monetary gains in exchange for using a software to maximize efficiency. People should still be allowed to make clear thoughtful decisions before being told to sign anything and Lilith served a taste of his own medicine. The green haired woman did her best to retain her composure, she did not want to laugh at the ironic situation, and waited patiently for Toby to follow along with the company picnic. “My apologies Lady Nevermore, I am absolutely honored that you have chosen Velocity Industries side, and I am looking forward to working with you. I will have this notarized and filed right away.” Toby pulled out a c-phone to call his assistant, a simple brown haired frail human girl wearing a black suit with large bottle glasses appeared, taking the portfolio, she was instantly intimidated by everyone present, she bowed without a single word as she ran away as fast as she could in one inch heels to process and file the documents; knowing fully well Toby wanted every second to count to get things done properly in the office. With the changes in the contract, Toby signed over his company stake of Velocity Industries to Lilith Nevermore, automatically making her a member on the board of directors. He was so confident in his contract signing that he failed to realize what he had done. With the conclusion of the meeting he led the women back the way they arrived down the dark hallway leading to the rock climbing wall, and out the front glass wall entrance taking a short walk to Grand Park. The entire park was closed off by local South City police, who had white plastic barriers to keep strangers from entering, and only people with company badges were allowed past, and Toby being the organizer had the audience members who signed up for the software or sign contracts be given special badges to enter. The Police chief recognized Toby who explained he had two additional clients who did not have badges to attend the event, with a simple exchange of nods they continued towards what looked like a festival. There were white tents with free food, carnival games, and most importantly a baseball field keeping score of the total wins per game by either Velocity Industries or Momentum Financial. Each inning represented thirty minutes for a total of four and a half hours until the finale. There was a ticket booth, which meant staffers were being forced to pay for their tickets to fund the picnic, and while waiting in line it seemed Momentum Financial employees were not asked to spend money but rather pick up pre-purchased tickets at the booth for any of the games they wanted to play. Toby picked up two red zeni coin sized rolls of tickets to hand over to both Lilith and Melody. “This is about fifty complimentary tickets. Apart from the typical carnival games, lawn games earn the most points for the winners. I suggest croquet for beginners.At a cost of ten tickets you can enter as a player and represent Velocity Industries in winning the picnic.” Toby mused knowing fully well these women would still help him earn the spotlight of the evening. “Well Lady Nevermore, Duchess Melody, what shall we do first? Perhaps a snack first? The refreshments are aguas frescas, alcoholic beverages, milk shakes, and other exotic drinks worth trying.” “I do like horchatas, a rice drink drink with cinnamon, and it tastes even better when served cold.” Melody was already wandering over to a taco and burrito stall that served this type of cuisine. Since the food was free, she was not going to miss out on trying a couple of things, and there was hardly anything she did not like. Soon Toby would be informed of his demotion at the end of it. [802] [TWC 4,359] [7,125/10,000]
|
|
|
Post by Lilith Nevermore on Nov 15, 2019 5:20:17 GMT -8
Lilith found a small, smug smile from the heap of praise. “As you should.” It felt... inexplicably good to hear that word, her rightful title again. Seeing the mousy girl take the precious paper and scurry away brought back fond memories of the servants who used to obey her every whim. One day she would regain the lavish lifestyle she deserved... She shot a sly glance at the mesmerized thrall. Yes, this pawn would serve his purpose nicely... Little did she know that the gears had already started turning. The cold, unfeeling machine known as the corporate would take in her fraudulent contract, chew it up and spit it out. Magic was powerless against it. An army of lawyers, like demons in their twisted efficiency, would ensure that she never got a zeni for her efforts. ...And she wouldn’t even get rid of that embarrassing Dynotube video. Fortunately, ignorance was bliss. The witch followed along with a calm and collected strut. She was starting to get the hang of this blending in thing. Her gaze gleamed with keen curiosity as they approached the park perimeter. Having guards around meant this fair was an exclusive little event. How quaint. She hadn’t been to one of these in years. However, upon entering her interest quickly died. Everywhere she looked there were peasants prancing around, gorging themselves with food and playing silly games. Bread and circuses... How typical. She had never seen the appeal of controlling the masses with cheap entertainment when fear worked just as fine. ...Except when said fear drove people to desperate measures. Hm. The little lady set the introspection aside when she was offered strange set of tickets. She quirked a brow, aiming a quizzical stare at the panda peasant. Did he have any inkling who he was speaking to? Oh, right, he didn’t. Hmph. Rather than throwing the slips back at his face, which would have been unladylike -but perfectly justified-, she instead tucked them away between the pages of her tome. She had no interest in playing games though. Most certainly not... Not even that ring toss game she had been rather good at in her childhood... Shooing the distracting thoughts away, Lilith instead followed Melody’s example and headed for the food stalls. Yes, a celebratory drink sounded nice right about now. “You seem well-versed in these strange beverages. Impressive.” Even if her usual calm chime made her sound somewhat sarcastic, the intention behind the words was honest. Beyond fine wines and tea, she had never tasted peculiar drinks. As she reached the stall, powerful smells struck her senses like a hammer. Grease, various meats and powerful spices. It made her forget all about the drink. When a burly, sun-kissed woman radiating friendly energy proudly offered her special... burrito, she called it, the young noble politely declined. “Ah, no thank you. I need no-” Groooan... A pitiful whine interrupted her words. It sounded far too much like a starving alley cat. Her pale features immediately lit up with a practically luminescent blush. She quickly hurried to wave away any misunderstandings that were no doubt brewing. “I said I shall need no-” Grrrrooooan! A more forceful whine contradicted her claim. As it scratched at her insides, she became acutely aware of how long it had been since her last decent meal. After a painfully awkward pause, she finally relented. “...One, please.”The pale girl was handed a mighty log of meats, vegetables and exotic spices that nearly toppled her over. First by weight, then by smell. She blamed her infernal hunger for pushing her to take a bite... After the first taste, she blinked. This wasn’t quite the traditional cuisine she was used to enjoying. Puzzlingly enough, she didn’t outright hate it either. Hm, no, it was... rather good. Erm, passable. Yes. Passable. Between the bites, the famished girl cast a curious glance at her peer. It wasn’t polite to pry, but something was haunting her. “Lady Melody, if you will pardon my curiosity...” She started carefully, almost whispering to make sure others wouldn’t eavesdrop. “What brings a woman of your esteemed status here? Why would you associate yourself with these...” She paused briefly, glancing at the suited people wandering around. “...snakes?” Clearly taking offense to the word choice, Toby raised a finger. The witch didn’t even look at him. “Toby, would you kindly stay quiet?” He couldn’t get a single word out. It was like his voice just got stuck in his throat. With the annoying rat of a man briefly silenced, the witch continued her questioning. “Is there something you seek from this company? From these people?” She already surmised there was, but the Duchess hadn’t found it. Otherwise she would have signed the contract, no? The girl lowered her crimson gaze, locking eyes with the woman past the glasses. Her tone darkened. “Would you mind if they all... got what they deserve?” While she didn’t care about the permissions of mere peasants, her peers were a different story. She couldn’t quite drive all these mortals to ruin if a fellow noble needed them for something. It was a matter of courtesy. [869/3,638] [7,994/10,000] Melody
|
|
|
Post by Melody on Nov 15, 2019 13:56:36 GMT -8
It was a relief to finally have a break from that lecture with delicious food, South City had the most variety of gourmet dishes that Oolong City could not rival in variety, and being human Melody’s tastebuds were delighted to the flavors of exotic cuisine. After eating a couple of tacos she ordered her favorite horchata drink to cleanse her palette with, keeping in mind that she hoped to replicate this drink when she returned home, and barely caught what Lilith had asked. “Ah, well long story short, as Duchess of Truffle Village, the oldest village of the Western lands where Oolong himself prized truffles for many decades, I must look after the ten thousand koku residents and take care of their needs in order to prosper together. I was out in the deserts of the South Lands, collecting giant white stalk mushrooms so that my farmers can cross breed them with a healing mushroom variety. It was their method to mass produce them by having the tiny red stalks grow across the full length, the desert mushrooms are the size of palm trees, and based on their last report their efforts were successful.” Melody smiled briefly then changed her expression changed sternly, “Unfortunately, I crossed paths with a ronin, in the middle of the desert while collecting these desert mushrooms who threatened me and punched my precious tooth out. The nerve of this man, if I ever find him again I swear I will kill him, but I never learned his name. The local village dentist explained I needed an implant. However, one of my most loyal subjects divulged a rumor that the blue blood from horse shoe crabs can restore the calcium to regrow my tooth instead. So my trip was fully funded for the Southern Islands so that I can get my tooth back, but by the time I arrived rumors of a massive shark stopped all ships from going to and from the mainlands.” The Duchess paused to drink more of her horchata, giving Lilith a chance to eat her burrito, wondering if the teen enjoyed it because it was different from a simple meal. She then answered her second question by clarifying that the blue blood did work, she had a musing smile again when she spoke. “I was able to grow my tooth back, I was told that perhaps my crossbred genetics allowed for that, as humans do not normally grow teeth. I am not a medical professional, I am a sword expert, and my interest with the companies at present are due to a friend of mine. Rather, we instantly became friends when I first arrived, and he offered me a burrito. After finding each other on the island a couple of times he offered me a position with Momentum Financial and I could not answer him right then and there. His name is Bass and he is the Branch Manager at South City. I wanted to learn what I was getting into before making a decision to join him. After the presentation this afternoon, I feel I should hear what he has to offer for Truffle Village, and I am not sure how it will all break down to. The Westerlands is mostly all rural farm lands and we’re nowhere near the technological advancements as this city. Oolong City is only advanced with their casinos but anything outside that are humble tile roof homes. The fashion of the Westernlands are hakamas and kimonos. I feel like we’re a bit dated at this point. I am still on the fence if I want anything to change back at home. In all honesty, more zeni will support my lifestyle, and I will check out every avenue in generating more to control the masses with it starting with buying more land. If you ever find yourself in the Western lands, you are more than welcome to visit Truffle Village, and if you have any desire to go to the Casinos you will need a proper entourage palanquin escort… the red light district is no place for a lady to be walking around alone.”
Before Melody could answer the last question, the mousey average bottle eyeglass assistant came running to interrupt them, panting out of breath, and was barely able to stand as her whole body was trembling uncontrollably. “Boss, what have you done? That contract signed over all your stocks of Velocity Industries to Lady Lilith Nevermore when I got it notarized. The board of directors has called an emergency meeting because you also signed away the stocks you held under a different alias which is seen as embezzling by the entire board. I am not sure what you expect me to do in all this, the authorities are getting involved, and I already gave them my written statement. You better call your lawyer. I am losing all my hair because of all this stress. I want no part in it, so I quit!” The woman knocked over her own glasses, it turned out she did not need them, she was actually beautiful under the facade but was told to dress herself down because she was a distraction to everyone in the office. It did not end there, she fully undressed herself, and revealed to be wearing a floral bathing suit, the other employees began snapping photos at her as she ran off to go to the beach instead to enjoy her freedom. [903] [TWC 5,262] [8,897/10,000]
|
|
|
Post by Lilith Nevermore on Nov 16, 2019 9:28:23 GMT -8
While the witch wasn’t quite sure if she enjoyed this new experience, she decided it was not unpleasant. The powerful taste certainly left an impression. These odd cooks had pleased her, thus they would be spared her wrath. She also keenly listened to Melody’s tale. When it came to wanting to kill a specific man, she could definitely relate. Likewise, she could understand the importance of a personal quest. Perhaps they had more in common than she thought... She was especially intrigued by the description of the village. Dated, rural and controlled by a proper noble? It sounded... quaint. Sadly, the intriguing tale was interrupted by sudden drama. Upon getting slapped with harsh truths, Toby finally snapped out of the spell with a shocked gasp. He couldn’t even get a word in when his former assistant quit in the most spectacular fashion. Lilith, meanwhile, nearly choked on her burrito. W-w-w-what was that shameless girl doing?! Was this some modern manner of flaunting one’s beauty? Not that a mere peasant girl was... anything special... She averted her eyes and focused on finishing her meal. Hmph, enticing men with one’s body was a cheap method anyway. Pushing the envious thoughts aside, the pale girl removed her glasses as well. They vanished into thin air. “Well then... I suppose it is time to end this little charade...” With the true nature of the contract revealed, there was no point wearing a disguise. Glimmering magic passed over her clothing. The short skirt squirmed and suddenly elongated into her beloved robes. Her hair dropped back to its full length, cascading over her shoulders. And her dear hat appeared with a puff on her head. She let out a relieved sigh. All was as it should be. A wicked smile spread across the little lady’s lips. She saw only fitting to offer an actual introduction. “I am Lady Lilith Nevermore, the heir of the Nevermore witch clan. Charmed, I’m sure.” People around her failed to grasp the importance of it though. Instead, they pointed their little recording devices at her and whispered less than flattering things about her. Crazy, they dared to whisper... They were oh so very fortunate she hadn’t gotten an answer from the Duchess. The noblewoman was the only thing standing between them and oblivion. Bringing great ruin upon them would have been rather rude. Hm. Just minor ruin then. Lilith brought her hands towards the skies and recited an ominous incantation. “I call forth the wrath of winds... From the slimy depths hoist up an army most foul... Guide them upon the heads of these foolish mortals...” Her eyes lit up with an arcane glow. Sparks of wicked magic crawled across her hands and erupted into the air. The wind started picking up, twisting and howling. It tugged at loose clothing and sent hats flying. Far in the distance, a huge waterspout manifested above a lake. Without a shred of remorse, the girl spoke the spell’s name and unleashed its true power. “Rain of frogs.”Before the confused onlookers could quite understand if they heard correctly, something small hit Toby on the head. -Ribbit- A small and rather grumpy frog sat on the stunned beastman. Exactly as the witch had threatened, frogs of all shapes and sizes started bombarding the park. Thanks to being so small, light and squishy, a fall with terminal velocity was just an annoyance to them. At first, the sight may have seemed odd. Maybe even comical. But soon the park goers faced the real horror of the curse... The croaking creatures were everywhere, hopping around restlessly. In drinks, on food, tangled up in hair... Everywhere.With the fierce vengeance enacted, the young lady lowered her hands and cast a glance towards the fellow noble. “Your village sounds lovely, Duchess. I would love to pay you a visit one day.” Her calm tone set a surreal contrast against the slimy rain bombarding the park. A grumpy frog sitting on the brim of her hat croaked in agreement. “But for now... I bid thee farewell.” After giving Melody a chance to speak her mind, the witch shuffled away. Having secured a source of wealth, a new intriguing ally and a warm meal, she found herself rather satisfied for a change. A day well spent. ...Well, ignorance was indeed bliss. [729/4,367] [9,626/10,000] Melody
|
|
|
Post by Melody on Nov 16, 2019 14:35:25 GMT -8
Melody raised a brow at what transpired, given that she never finished primary school, she had no idea what anything the assistant had said meant about the inner workings of a corporation, but she did understand what it meant to involve a lawyer and authorities. The law was something she did learn when she became Duchess. The sudden downpour of frogs was quite intriguing, she would have laughed at the spectacle it was causing, but she held her composure with a wide smile as she took the frog from Lilith’s witch-hat brim; wondering if she had room for fried frog legs or if it was too adorable to eat. “Ah well, take care of yourself, you seem more than capable of that. You know where to find me if the need ever arises.” Melody waved at the teenage witch apparent as she shuffled away from the scene. Given the circumstances, she was not a snitch even if someone wronged her because she liked to handle her own problems at her own accord, and she thought that Velocity Industries deserved what they had coming to them. In her official report, she made her statement in favor of Lilith because Toby deserved swift justice; even though the justice system had failed her many times before, she had a feeling that this time it would work for once even under false pretences. However, she would have never suspected what the end results would have been, and she was nowhere near as conniving as Toby had been with the situation. Toby was a snake of equal proportions, calculative, refined, he could turn any bad situation in his favor. In the clamour, he was able to convince the board of directors, that his assistant was overworked and she made a spectacle of herself at the company picnic as proof so her statement was invalid. The truth of the matter was that he was assisting Lilith Nevermore inherit the stocks of the company under another Alias who belonged to a wealthy old relative of her witch clan, there was no evidence that this alias was actually Toby, and the contract somehow got botched in the process. The proof of the frog debacle and her magical prowess was on DynoTube, he used that as evidence that she became greedy by using her magic to manipulate the contract and get more Velocity Industry stock. As a result, Toby regained his legally owned stocks, and the extra stock he was not allowed to have was officially drafted into a new contract for Lady Lilith Nevermore to sign if she ever paid the office a visit so he could wipe his paws clean of the implications. [446] [TWC 5,708] [10,072/10,000] Mission complete! Lilith Nevermore
|
|