[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
... 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. ]