You're not wrong, though I'd rather not hurt any of the trust Galo's put in me.
I might not let him know about the questionable legality unless he asks, though.
And don't worry, even if we're caught, I highly doubt we'll run into a life or death situation. Plus, what are they going to do if they arrest us for trying to break in? Throw us down there anyway?
If it comes to that, I'll get us out, but you might have to carry me after that depending on how many people are involved in trying to arrest us. If not, you better come up with a plan to get us out ahead of time.
we can switch to action my next tag if that's alright!
I'll be there to Moonlace with you to help with your headaches. And if we're in danger of getting caught, I'll cover your escape. I'd really rather not get you arrested, Emerald.
Meet me in Level 3 tomorrow night? I'll send you a time and a rendezvous address.
[ She texts back a quick affirmation that she got the information, then sets off to go to bed. After thinking on what he said about breaking trust a little more, she writes a handwritten note for Mayuzumi. Usually she'll leave post-its if she goes somewhere but since it's a more dangerous situation, is best if she writes something less blase.
With that, she loads up Thief's Respite in her tote bag (concealing her weapons seems a lot less likely to draw attention than walking in strapped) and heads off to meet him, dressed in less noticeable clothes than normal.
She gets there a little early and leans against a nearby wall to wait for him, playing some app on her phone. ]
[Lio was late. Like, a solid fifteen minutes late, clearly rushing when he came into view of their meeting place, approaching at a light jog.
He was wearing all black (though that wasn't really unusual for him), a pair of leather half-gloves on his hands, and a leather bag slung over one shoulder.]
I'm so sorry! [Lio was panting as he stopped by her, trying to catch his breath while wiping the sweat from his brow.] I... Galo... he forced me to sit and talk with him first. It took longer than I anticipated, and I'm really sorry. But I'm ready to go now.
[ Emerald hasn't seen him enough times in person to know if that's normal, so she does have something to say about that. She left a note, so Mayuzumi will probably scold her when she gets back, but ultimately forgive her as long as she comes back in one piece. There was no talk on her part, and she'll ask about that in a bit. Business first. ]
We can go like this if you want to, but you look like a kinky cat burglar without the cover of night.
[ She just thinks it would be less conspicuous if he didn't look like he was about to rob and/or spank someone. ]
It isn't about how you normally dress. I like wearing bandeaus, but if you're sneaking in somewhere, you want to dress so you're not noticeable. Especially when we've both got bright green hair.
[ If they're in night, all black, gloves, even a mask makes sense. Right now, blending in means dressing like they're just a couple of randos she thinks. Even if they both kind of naturally stand out... oh well. ]
I don't want to take you shopping, so let's just go.
[ Maybe if they didn't have something important to do. ]
[Lio flipped some of his hair out of his face with a slight eye roll.]
It's called The Lightless for a reason. I'm sure we'll blend in just fine once we're down there. But I can't exactly say sneaking into places is my forte. Arson didn't involve a lot of stealth.
[If Lio still had his powers he'd have probably tried to use his armor to disguise himself, as he'd done for all of his attacks in the past.
Anyway, it's all a moot point. As Moonblessed without the influence of their moon granting them any additional animal features, they sort of stuck out anyway.
Cracking his knuckles and pulling out his phone, Lio brought up a local map of the area they were in to share with Emerald.]
Alright, so the Moon Knights' Outpost is the only entry point in and out of the Lightless. They've got guards posted there 24/7 so our only option is to go through them using your talents. From what I've seen, there's no patrols, just a guard stationed up high for lookout, one at the gate to check for clearance, and two by the entrance to the elevator proper. There are some blind spots along the walls where we shouldn't be seen by any cameras, and if we time it right, we can probably walk right through.
I guess the main concern will be coming back topside since we'll be blind to what's happening until the elevator doors open. I also don't know what the guard situation is like at the bottom.
It's sneaking out that's going to be the hard part.
[ Though realistically there's.. one easy way to mitigate any issues with that. ]
How familiar do you think they are with Moonblessed in their ranks? It may be easier to get past the gate check, take out the elevator guards for their uniforms on the way in, then change on the way out. It'll reserve some of my chroma for emergencies during exit.
[ But as her question is relevant: if they actually recognize each others' faces beyond the uniform, they might not be able to fly with that. But Emerald already knows she's going to get a splitting headache. Lookout and gate at once, then both of the elevators. ]
The elevators aren't visible to the lookout, are they?
[ Because that would be three at once. She thinks she can do it but she may end up with a bloody nose on top of a huge migraine.. ]
No, I don't think so. Otherwise the guards by the elevators would be superfluous. I'm fairly certain lookout is more concerned with people at the gate.
[He mulled over her option with disguises...]
I'm almost positive they won't be familiar with all the rank and file Moonblessed. We could take out the elevator guards, but that would give us a pretty narrow time limit for our entry and escape, and it would almost guarantee they'd launch an investigation into the break in.
[Of course, he'd have to be the most optimistic person on the planet to think they could get in and out completely unnoticed.
...
An idea struck him.]
... Hold on. Emerald, we don't need to worry about every guard along the way. They'll allow anyone in and out with proper clearance, won't they? We only need to trick the guard at the checkpoint. Can you fool him into thinking we have the right clearance? All the other guards would leave us alone if that guard gave us a pass.
[ Thaaat... sounds like a way better plan. She actually looks a lot more comfortable after he says that. With one caveat. ]
Do you have a sample? I can "show" them a pass, but I don't know what it's supposed to look like.
[ As much as she would love to be able to just show people what they think they need to see like a psychic reflection or something, she can only make people see what she can imagine. So if she imagines wrong, they're going to get caught. ]
... I hate to say I do. I don't own one, but I was investigating avenues for purchasing fake clearance. Never came into contact with anyone directly, but I was able to get some sample images from an anonymous seller comparing to the real deal.
[Very not legal behavior, but he didn't go actually buying the thing, and he could have always stated it was part of his work in the private investigation firm he was with. So the plausible deniability was there.
Lio opened up his mail app, going through a list of old messages, before finding the images buried deep in his folders. The lighting wasn't fantastic, and it was hard to see a lot of detail on his smaller phone screen, but the images showed the real thing next to the example fake, and diagrammed all the individual markers that were present on both.]
[ Emerald waits, leaning over his shoulder to look, her hands folded behind her back. All she really needs is a reference. She's typically got plenty of chroma since she sleeps in Mayuzumi's bed at night, so she holds her hand up as if she's holding up her device, showing Lio the document.
Only this one has their names on it, and is indistinguishable from the real one. In reality, she's got a completely unrelated show of a Prismagram page up so from a distance it still looks like she's showing something if there are any passersby. ]
Easy.
[ It's a very small thing, it doesn't even take a lot of chroma to handle. She drops the illusion though and turns off the display, making it looks like a very smooth movement. She's ready to go now, and a lot more comfortable with their method of entry. ]
[Lio had seen her manifest her powers before, in a way even more impressive than this, and yet he still couldn't help but be amazed by her trick.]
... I don't think I can emphasize enough how much I couldn't do this without you, Emerald. You're really something else.
[And he grinned, pocketing his own phone as he beckoned for her to follow.]
Alright, we'll keep this simple. Once we're down there I want to do some scouting of as much of the immediate area as possible. The main goals are to start a crude map of the complex, get a preliminary reading on the living situations of the prisoners, and - if possible - establish insider contact. That last one I think will be the most difficult, since we won't know who to trust, and likely won't happen on a first visit... but it's also arguably the most crucial.
[As the entrance to the Lightless came into view, Lio clenched and unclenched his hands a few times, reaching to grip at the shoulder strap on his leather bag as he steeled his nerves.]
[ Emerald seems visibly pleased from being praised. Cinder didn't particularly praise her to motivate her to seek it. Mercury never did. Seijuro didn't particularly appreciate it, ever. Offers to use it with the people she chose to tell never were met. Anyone from her world who knew only knew because she needed to apologize. Chihiro liked it, but he isn't the type to offer praise in general even if she knows it. Part of her accepts that her type of ability isn't the type people like- most people don't want someone else in their head, changing what they see. Most people don't like the idea of someone making it hard for anyone to believe what their senses are telling them.
Lio's just managed to make her feel like she's useful, which is something she hasn't felt in a long, long time. This ability that she has, that's a part of her soul, isn't something anyone wants from her. What seems like genuine praise for it makes her light up like a Christmas tree in a way she rarely does. She looks genuinely excited and feels motivated for the first time in a very long time. There's practically a skip in her step as she follows him. She keeps her voice quiet to respond as they get closer. ]
I'm ready. Is there a signal you want to give me if you need help? I can communicate directly to your mind, but I can't receive anything, so.. [ She needs to know what to look for if he needs to signal her. ]
[Lio noticed the lightness in her step, though he didn't necessarily attribute it to his praise. The idea that someone who could provide valuable skills to the group wouldn't be appreciated was foreign to him - it certainly never happened in Mad Burnish. So Lio just assumed she was excited by their adjusted (and much less risky) plan.]
If I still had my flames I'd send a distress flare. How about this, though? If I need you to make a distraction, quietly.
[He held both hands behind his back and made an upside down triangle pattern with his index fingers and thumbs pressed together. From thee front it looked like he was just folding his hands behind his back.]
Anything else you need from me before we go? [They were almost in sight of the guards, no turning back now.]
[ Subtle enough that she can recognize it and respond to it. Her positive demeanor shifts as they approach though, looking serious and professional. She purposefully takes two slower steps to fall behind Lio, putting him effectively in the lead. ]
I'm ready when you are.
[ She'll let him do the talking and supply the "paperwork" on command to get them through. ]
[Lio took one last big breath before giving a solid nod.]
Alright, let's go.
[The approach to the guard at the gate was easy enough. No one stopped them or even batted an eye at their walking up to the entrance, though the gate guard did come to immediate attention upon noticing them. 'State your name and business,' he said, alert but also clearly going through motions.]
I'm Lio Fotia, one of the Moonblessed, here with my partner Emerald. We work for a local private investigation firm, and our current case is taking us down to the Lightless to speak with a prisoner related to the client.
['I'll need to see your permits with the proper clearance.'
Lio nodded, hesitating just a moment before he reached into his pocket for his phone, and motioned for Emerald to do the same, hoping he gave her enough time and warning to work her magic.]
[ Emerald is very good at taking cues and following directions. She's had to learn to be, and so it goes as smoothly as possible... until he goes to scan it. The scanner makes a buzzing sound and flashes "DENY" on the screen. Emerald manages to catch the end of it and short out the sound in the guard's head and make it look like it flickered, so he smacks it a couple of times then asks them to try again. He scans it again.
From Lio's perspective, it's still the same buzz and "DENY," but this time he clears them through. With the perceived glitching, he doesn't fuss about there not being a positive sound since Emerald doesn't know if it's a ding or a beep or what. Thankfully, it just seems to be a check system so Emerald smiles at the guard, then at Lio before stepping ahead through the checkpoint. ]
[There was a mild panic that welled up in Lio at that initial "DENY" popping up on the screen, but he refused to let it show in his face, putting on his very best poker face. Somehow he hadn't considered that it'd be an electronic system for checking authenticity, not just a simple glance at the pass to let them through. The guard not reacting to it meant, at least, that Emerald was doing her job. He swiftly pocketed his phone after they were cleared through so Emerald could drop the illusion more quickly, and followed after her with a stiffness in his step, determined to look like this was just business as usual.
As they approached the elevator, one of the guards set about typing in a code and using a badge to open the doors. Another guard stood inside the elevator as they stepped inside, clearly in charge of operating it.
Lio was more glad than ever to have thought of the simpler plan of just tricking the one guard, rather than trying to take out the whole lot of them. He rested his hand gently on Emerald's shoulder, hoping to feed back to her some of the Chroma she'd used up, just in case something went wrong during their long descent down.]
[ Emerald is glad that Lio was able to keep calm and trust her. If he'd reacted in any way, it could've given them away. They're both in the clear, as far as she can tell, though she does get a bit tense when he reaches out to provide her with chroma. Not because she minds it, but because she can't help but wonder if they're going to think she needs a recharge.
She decides the best solution is to not draw attention to it. They're always wanting them to moonlace anyway, it's fine. Emerald takes to chatting up the guard with small talk during their descent. Unlike her usual sassing and crankiness, she's downright cheery and friendly. Disarming, even. The guard seems to like her, but she also doesn't really say anything memorable and quiets down as they approach the level and the Guard gives them a lowdown of whatever policies they need to be aware of. ]
[Lio let Emerald engage however she wanted. The small talk was likely to at least draw suspicion away from the fact that Lio was in no mood to interact with them or really any other guard. All they get is a curt 'thank you' from the blonde as the doors are finally open and they're allowed to pass. There was, of course, another checkpoint right out the gate here, but the two of them were allowed to pass freely with no scrutiny, given they'd been let down here in the first place and clearly weren't prisoners themselves.
When at last they'd made their way into the darker streets past the earshot of any guards by the elevator, Lio glanced back, then gave Emerald a serious face.]
Think that trick will work for our return trip out? Or should we come up with another plan for getting ourselves through a second time?
I don't see why not. As long as I don't run out of chroma or we don't end up with surprise witnesses, anyway.
[ Emerald can't account for someone walking up behind her and seeing, but as long as there are no surprises it should go smoothly. She looks around while they walk. She doesn't really know what to do now that they're in. It's probably better to stay close, anyway. If the people in here really are the "worst of the worst" then even if Emerald considers herself a badass, she has no rep here. It's two of them and god knows how the pecking order here has established, it could be dangerous. ]
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no subject
He's definitely going to scold me for it; it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
... plus I can't die without him knowing what happened, so extra motivation.
no subject
I might not let him know about the questionable legality unless he asks, though.
And don't worry, even if we're caught, I highly doubt we'll run into a life or death situation. Plus, what are they going to do if they arrest us for trying to break in? Throw us down there anyway?
no subject
we can switch to action my next tag if that's alright!
Meet me in Level 3 tomorrow night? I'll send you a time and a rendezvous address.
[And he does, shortly thereafter.]
Sounds good!
With that, she loads up Thief's Respite in her tote bag (concealing her weapons seems a lot less likely to draw attention than walking in strapped) and heads off to meet him, dressed in less noticeable clothes than normal.
She gets there a little early and leans against a nearby wall to wait for him, playing some app on her phone. ]
no subject
He was wearing all black (though that wasn't really unusual for him), a pair of leather half-gloves on his hands, and a leather bag slung over one shoulder.]
I'm so sorry! [Lio was panting as he stopped by her, trying to catch his breath while wiping the sweat from his brow.] I... Galo... he forced me to sit and talk with him first. It took longer than I anticipated, and I'm really sorry. But I'm ready to go now.
no subject
We can go like this if you want to, but you look like a kinky cat burglar without the cover of night.
[ She just thinks it would be less conspicuous if he didn't look like he was about to rob and/or spank someone. ]
no subject
... Why does no one believe me that I always dress like this? Would you rather I have brought the firefighter jacket?
[He sighed, pulling off the gloves at least - with his teeth, which probably didn't help the whole kinky thing - and pocketed them.]
Better? Or am I still violating dress code?
no subject
[ If they're in night, all black, gloves, even a mask makes sense. Right now, blending in means dressing like they're just a couple of randos she thinks. Even if they both kind of naturally stand out... oh well. ]
I don't want to take you shopping, so let's just go.
[ Maybe if they didn't have something important to do. ]
no subject
[Lio flipped some of his hair out of his face with a slight eye roll.]
It's called The Lightless for a reason. I'm sure we'll blend in just fine once we're down there. But I can't exactly say sneaking into places is my forte. Arson didn't involve a lot of stealth.
[If Lio still had his powers he'd have probably tried to use his armor to disguise himself, as he'd done for all of his attacks in the past.
Anyway, it's all a moot point. As Moonblessed without the influence of their moon granting them any additional animal features, they sort of stuck out anyway.
Cracking his knuckles and pulling out his phone, Lio brought up a local map of the area they were in to share with Emerald.]
Alright, so the Moon Knights' Outpost is the only entry point in and out of the Lightless. They've got guards posted there 24/7 so our only option is to go through them using your talents. From what I've seen, there's no patrols, just a guard stationed up high for lookout, one at the gate to check for clearance, and two by the entrance to the elevator proper. There are some blind spots along the walls where we shouldn't be seen by any cameras, and if we time it right, we can probably walk right through.
I guess the main concern will be coming back topside since we'll be blind to what's happening until the elevator doors open. I also don't know what the guard situation is like at the bottom.
no subject
[ Though realistically there's.. one easy way to mitigate any issues with that. ]
How familiar do you think they are with Moonblessed in their ranks? It may be easier to get past the gate check, take out the elevator guards for their uniforms on the way in, then change on the way out. It'll reserve some of my chroma for emergencies during exit.
[ But as her question is relevant: if they actually recognize each others' faces beyond the uniform, they might not be able to fly with that. But Emerald already knows she's going to get a splitting headache. Lookout and gate at once, then both of the elevators. ]
The elevators aren't visible to the lookout, are they?
[ Because that would be three at once. She thinks she can do it but she may end up with a bloody nose on top of a huge migraine.. ]
no subject
[He mulled over her option with disguises...]
I'm almost positive they won't be familiar with all the rank and file Moonblessed. We could take out the elevator guards, but that would give us a pretty narrow time limit for our entry and escape, and it would almost guarantee they'd launch an investigation into the break in.
[Of course, he'd have to be the most optimistic person on the planet to think they could get in and out completely unnoticed.
...
An idea struck him.]
... Hold on. Emerald, we don't need to worry about every guard along the way. They'll allow anyone in and out with proper clearance, won't they? We only need to trick the guard at the checkpoint. Can you fool him into thinking we have the right clearance? All the other guards would leave us alone if that guard gave us a pass.
no subject
Do you have a sample? I can "show" them a pass, but I don't know what it's supposed to look like.
[ As much as she would love to be able to just show people what they think they need to see like a psychic reflection or something, she can only make people see what she can imagine. So if she imagines wrong, they're going to get caught. ]
no subject
[Very not legal behavior, but he didn't go actually buying the thing, and he could have always stated it was part of his work in the private investigation firm he was with. So the plausible deniability was there.
Lio opened up his mail app, going through a list of old messages, before finding the images buried deep in his folders. The lighting wasn't fantastic, and it was hard to see a lot of detail on his smaller phone screen, but the images showed the real thing next to the example fake, and diagrammed all the individual markers that were present on both.]
no subject
Only this one has their names on it, and is indistinguishable from the real one. In reality, she's got a completely unrelated show of a Prismagram page up so from a distance it still looks like she's showing something if there are any passersby. ]
Easy.
[ It's a very small thing, it doesn't even take a lot of chroma to handle. She drops the illusion though and turns off the display, making it looks like a very smooth movement. She's ready to go now, and a lot more comfortable with their method of entry. ]
no subject
... I don't think I can emphasize enough how much I couldn't do this without you, Emerald. You're really something else.
[And he grinned, pocketing his own phone as he beckoned for her to follow.]
Alright, we'll keep this simple. Once we're down there I want to do some scouting of as much of the immediate area as possible. The main goals are to start a crude map of the complex, get a preliminary reading on the living situations of the prisoners, and - if possible - establish insider contact. That last one I think will be the most difficult, since we won't know who to trust, and likely won't happen on a first visit... but it's also arguably the most crucial.
[As the entrance to the Lightless came into view, Lio clenched and unclenched his hands a few times, reaching to grip at the shoulder strap on his leather bag as he steeled his nerves.]
You ready?
no subject
Lio's just managed to make her feel like she's useful, which is something she hasn't felt in a long, long time. This ability that she has, that's a part of her soul, isn't something anyone wants from her. What seems like genuine praise for it makes her light up like a Christmas tree in a way she rarely does. She looks genuinely excited and feels motivated for the first time in a very long time. There's practically a skip in her step as she follows him. She keeps her voice quiet to respond as they get closer. ]
I'm ready. Is there a signal you want to give me if you need help? I can communicate directly to your mind, but I can't receive anything, so.. [ She needs to know what to look for if he needs to signal her. ]
no subject
If I still had my flames I'd send a distress flare. How about this, though? If I need you to make a distraction, quietly.
[He held both hands behind his back and made an upside down triangle pattern with his index fingers and thumbs pressed together. From thee front it looked like he was just folding his hands behind his back.]
Anything else you need from me before we go? [They were almost in sight of the guards, no turning back now.]
no subject
[ Subtle enough that she can recognize it and respond to it. Her positive demeanor shifts as they approach though, looking serious and professional. She purposefully takes two slower steps to fall behind Lio, putting him effectively in the lead. ]
I'm ready when you are.
[ She'll let him do the talking and supply the "paperwork" on command to get them through. ]
no subject
Alright, let's go.
[The approach to the guard at the gate was easy enough. No one stopped them or even batted an eye at their walking up to the entrance, though the gate guard did come to immediate attention upon noticing them. 'State your name and business,' he said, alert but also clearly going through motions.]
I'm Lio Fotia, one of the Moonblessed, here with my partner Emerald. We work for a local private investigation firm, and our current case is taking us down to the Lightless to speak with a prisoner related to the client.
['I'll need to see your permits with the proper clearance.'
Lio nodded, hesitating just a moment before he reached into his pocket for his phone, and motioned for Emerald to do the same, hoping he gave her enough time and warning to work her magic.]
no subject
From Lio's perspective, it's still the same buzz and "DENY," but this time he clears them through. With the perceived glitching, he doesn't fuss about there not being a positive sound since Emerald doesn't know if it's a ding or a beep or what. Thankfully, it just seems to be a check system so Emerald smiles at the guard, then at Lio before stepping ahead through the checkpoint. ]
so sorry for the late reply!
As they approached the elevator, one of the guards set about typing in a code and using a badge to open the doors. Another guard stood inside the elevator as they stepped inside, clearly in charge of operating it.
Lio was more glad than ever to have thought of the simpler plan of just tricking the one guard, rather than trying to take out the whole lot of them. He rested his hand gently on Emerald's shoulder, hoping to feed back to her some of the Chroma she'd used up, just in case something went wrong during their long descent down.]
no worries!
She decides the best solution is to not draw attention to it. They're always wanting them to moonlace anyway, it's fine. Emerald takes to chatting up the guard with small talk during their descent. Unlike her usual sassing and crankiness, she's downright cheery and friendly. Disarming, even. The guard seems to like her, but she also doesn't really say anything memorable and quiets down as they approach the level and the Guard gives them a lowdown of whatever policies they need to be aware of. ]
no subject
When at last they'd made their way into the darker streets past the earshot of any guards by the elevator, Lio glanced back, then gave Emerald a serious face.]
Think that trick will work for our return trip out? Or should we come up with another plan for getting ourselves through a second time?
no subject
[ Emerald can't account for someone walking up behind her and seeing, but as long as there are no surprises it should go smoothly. She looks around while they walk. She doesn't really know what to do now that they're in. It's probably better to stay close, anyway. If the people in here really are the "worst of the worst" then even if Emerald considers herself a badass, she has no rep here. It's two of them and god knows how the pecking order here has established, it could be dangerous. ]