A smile dances across the man's face as he stands up. “Well, well it isn’t my second favorite of Strome children.” The man stands up walking around his desk. “When I saw the Nilfi crest I thought it was something serious.” The man slaps his desk. “First a new God shows up adding this new magic window, then a Nilfi shows up at my office but I should have known it was you. What brings you here, work?”
Ke’an walks up to the man and grasps the man's hand in a firm shake. “Hello, Director Pincely it is good to see you are doing well.”
“I am my boy. What happened to your hair could barely recognize you.” Pincely turns his attention to System. “Now who is this? Don’t tell me you are tromping around with women when you have a fiancée because I won’t be a part of making you know who angry.”
“The hair thing is a longs story and not an interesting one. As for her, it is not like that.” Ke’an waves off any accusation and walks past the man to one of the open seats and sits down. “Her name is System Lock. She is joining the order so you can speak freely. She is trustworthy and saved my life and she is strong, trust me.”
Pincely returns to his seat, the creeks worrying as he settles down. “So what brings you here don’t tell me you finished your rite of passage already?” He looks Ke’an up and down appraising the leather armor. “That is new but what else did you find?”
“You know I am not going to say what I found.” Ke’an says.
“Is someone going to explain what is going on? System says as he takes a seat beside Ke’an. “You both know each other?”
“Oh yes, young lady, we do.” Pincely says with a chuckle. “Ke’an here is my nephew. My name is De'sen Strome though people here know me as Director Yamile Pincely.”
The man began to shrink in size deflating like a balloon. His skin changed from a white complexion to an even bronze. His clothing shrank with him letting off a light glow as the magic fibers contract with the transformation. Even the mustache disappears in a strange way that looks like it grew in reverse. The transformation completes and the man in front of them looks very similar to Ke’an but with a more pronounced jawline, broader shoulders and more mature features. System is surprised at the size of the man who as he changes to the equivalent form of a bodybuilder. Ke’an uses his new Administrator perception to see De’sen’s information.
Name: De’sen Strome
Level: 58
Class: Anarchist Infiltrator
“Wait you said I was your second favorite Strome, who is the first?” Ke’an asks.
“Ly’ju has you beat nephew at least she comes and visits me.” De'sen says as he lights a smoke pipe.
The pungent smell of the pipe quickly tells Ke’an it is not tobacco he is smoking. Small well hidden glyphs all around the room start to admit a faint glow and the air clears.
“She only comes to visit you for work.” Ke’an responds.
“And you are here for…” De'sen rolls his hand for Ke’an to finish.
Ke’an raises a finger to respond but lowers it to think. “Okay… okay but this is different. I came here for you to work. Not looking for work.”
“Ah, yes because giving me more work to do is going to change things.” De'sen looks between Ke’an and System. “So I am guessing she needs papers. Look nephew, my hands are tied until I get a small problem sorted out. ”
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The window opens on its own letting in a breeze that is unnaturally cold given the barrier around the premises that make everything within nice and warm. A shadow scurries into the room without any defined form until it stops next to De'sen’s desk. Despite the gust of wind blowing, all of the papers on the desk say exactly where they are as if undisturbed. Just as suddenly the wind dies and Ke’an notice strings of magic surrounding the papers all around the room. The ethereal tethers all track back to De'sen’s open hand as he lets out a sigh then releases the magic.
Everyone's attention turns to the young woman that has appeared from the shadow as color slowly shifts around her and she goes from a black figure without any defining features to a beautiful woman with long platinum hair tied back in a braid to her waist. Her eyes are catlike, silver and held a sly mischievousness. She pulls out a white bowler hat with a single black strip along the band and places it on her head. She is thin and covered head to toe in a white tight fitting leather and an armored long coat not too dissimilar from the one Ke’an wore up until recently. She places a bag on the De'sen’s desk and with a smile runs over to Ke’an embracing him in a hug. While he uses his Administrator perception on her as well as she has her arms wrapped around him.
Name: Ly’ju Strome
Level: 26
Class: Shadow Broker Thief
“Ly’ju!” Ke’an says in shock. “Why are you here?”
Ly’ju pulls herself away from Ke’an and playfully rubs his nearly bald head for a second before Ke’an grabs her hand. Ke’an can’t help but stare at her for a minute. She is exactly the same as he remembers which is typical since in her time it has only been a few months but for him nearly five years have passed.
“What happened to you little brother?” Ly’ju says with a devious smile. “Last time I saw you--you were throwing a fit about not wanting to cut that unkempt mane of yours.”
“What did you take?” Ke’an asks while not letting go of her hand.
“So untrusting I can't just give my little brother a hug without being seen as a thief.” Ly’ju says with a pout. “You wound me dear brother.”
“Laying it on nice and thick don’t you think?” Ke’an shows his other hand has one of her knives. “How about a trade then I know this is your favorite one.”
“You little…” Ly’ju’s smile fades for a second then returns as a smirk. “Fine.”
Ke’an lets go of her hand and she reveals she took the Nilfi seal which she tosses back to him. He spins the knife in his hand then holds it by the blade so she can take the handle. She turns her attention to System giving her an assessing look before turning to De'sen and taking his smoking pipe. She takes in a few puffs before passing it back to him with a cough.
“Gods above that is strong stuff. I need to talk to whoever you go to.” Ly’ju says, nodding her head in Systems direction. “Who's the girl?”
“Her name is System. Your brothers new companion.” De'sen says as he looks in the bag Ly’ju placed on his desk. “Is this all of it?”
Ly’ju leans on his desk. “All I could get my hands on. Security was tighter than we thought it would be, but it should be more than enough.”
De'sen closes the bag and places it in his desk drawer. “Good enough. What did we agree on twenty teis, right?”
“Ha, ha-ha!” Ly’ju laughs but her eyes were deadly serious. “You wish, old man. Thirty or I take’em back to where I found ‘em.”
“Right-right.” De'sen relents as he pulls out thirty in single teis bills. “When did my niece get so demanding?”
“I learned it from you.” Ly’ju smiles. “Don’t do anything for free especially for family, right?”
“So let's get back to the task at hand, uncle.” Ke’an says. “I need papers for System.”
De'sen watches Ly’ju count the money for a second before turning his attention back to Ke’an. “Well of course but like I said my hands are tied until I have a little problem solved. As you can see your sister is helping me out with a little project and since you're in town. I think we can help each other out. Think of it like our own little week of giving celebration. We can also break in the new girl if she really wants to join the family.”
“I don’t have time for it, I would rather just pay.” Ke’an says with a long sigh.
“It won't take long, especially if we work together.” Ly’ju states with a smile some excitement in her voice. “Besides it has been a while since we went on a mission together.”
“This isn’t the best place to talk about it.” De’sen says with another deep inhale of his pipe. “I will give System a temporary admission into the city but she won't be able to leave.”
“So you’re holding us hostage.” Ke’an says
“Hostage.” De’sen laughs. “No, of course not let me correct. You can go back the way you came and find another way around the chasm.” His eyes sharpen. “So if you’d rather leave, be my guest.”