Arian Vance's Story

Early that day...
Alexandria played with her bright blue hair, picking small strands and forming loops of sorts with her index finger. Soon enough her playful demeanor changed into a distraught state, her hands which had been carelessly playing with her hair now began puling in frustration. She began walking back and forth as she did when she felt anxious and unnerved; it was a good thing that nobody ever came to NORA, other than the gang that is, or else they would have thought something was seriously wrong with her. Alex wasn't to blame though; being an informant had its perks, of course, needless to say it was never easy to know the exact number of casualties of other hiatus under the core's hand... especially because for the moment there was nothing that could be done to stop it. Even though she knew very well that it was useless to dwell upon things that she did not have control over, she could not help to lament on their current situation.

Upon looking at the old clock hanging in the wall, one of the many recent additions to the shop which she had brought from her family's antiques shop, she shook her head encouraging herself to regain composure in case any member of the gang showed up, most of the gang knew only of her calm and self composed demeanor which meant that if they saw her preoccupied she could cause panic. It would be a lie to say that it hadn't taken her minutes for her to go back to her calm self and her morning routine began. Alex had arranged a meeting before their usual time, as usual she'd allow everyone to have as much freedom as possible not minding what everyone did outside the gang or perhaps trusting that they'd behave, still she was always watching out for her gang even when they were unaware of it. The truth was that Alex considered her gang not as a group, organization or anything of the sort, Candy Crush was her family and that much was true.

It did not take a genius to connect the dots and realize that there was something going on and it would obviously result in bloodshed something every inhabitant of Mininum had probably gotten used to by now. Alex began cleaning the shop and as soon as the shop was almost spotless she sat down on one of the leather seats on the round table. Just as she sat down she heard the bell carefully position on top of the entrance door announcing every member's arrival, one by one every member of the gang entered the shop and Alexandria simply nodded and smiled at every single one of the members waiting for them to join her at the rustic looking round table.

It had already been discussed that they would be meeting with all the other gangs, even so Alex reminded them of the meeting and asked them to be friendly with the others as they all had held the same goal. Alexandria spoke with outmost clarity and finally informed the gang of the attack the night before, just before the meeting was adjourned Alex spoke with Amira, Michael and Aki privately, confiding in them once more and asking them to be extremely careful to see if there were any Core or strange behavior in any member who could be a spy.

Finally, not taking a minute longer in their meeting every Candy Crush member headed out to the other meeting being the third gang to arrive. Everyone in the gang took their positions in their rightful place the Southern side, Alex sat down quietly and said nothing simply looking at her childhood friends carefully having mixed feelings about what had happened years before. Alexandria refused to believe that Ryota had betrayed them even when there was evidence that said otherwise and could not help but wonder why Nem had distanced himself from her. She shook her head for focusing in the past and not in present matters and she mentally scolded herself.

Katerina was the first to speak "Commence the Mad Tea Party," she said playfully and mischievously as ever. Alex let out a small smile to her old friend and began speaking, "I'd like to begin by saying that I am glad to see everyone," she let out another small smile offering it to everyone now, without beating around the bush Alexandria began speaking again. "Being that said, she said taking a pause trying to find the right words knowing that even though they had gotten used to taking casualties it was never easy, "you should all know that there has been another attack..." Allowing the news to sunk in she continued, "the Core attacked a large group of hiatus, from what I could tell there were no survivors." Alexandria paused one last time more allowing others to speak as they saw fit.

As he always did, Liam woke with the sun. Wearily, Liam rose from his bed and made his way to the bathroom. Liam rubbed his eyes and stretched as he looked at himself in the mirror. Scars covered his body, and what little was unharmed was covered in tattoos. Liam smirked at himself. What would his parents think? More somberly, what would Madoka think? It had been years since Liam had seen her, almost two whole years. He couldn't though. Liam loved her too much to... to tell her what he had done. It was his fault. Everything was his fault. If he hadn't been so weak, he could have saved them. "Stop it." Liam told himself, his golden eyes staring back at him from the mirror. "You did the best you could. It's not your fault. It's theirs..." The Core had ended Markys's life. Liam had done his best to defend it, but even he wasn't strong enough to save him from them. He still wasn't strong enough. He would be though, one day. One day, Liam would watch the Island burn. Every Core, every building, and every broken promise. Until then, he had work to do. Liam quickly showered, dressing himself in his cloak and usual garb. He did, however, opt to wear more comfortable black leather boots. In case, the situation called for it. Liam needed to be prepared to move quickly. After he had eaten a small breakfast, Liam quickly wrapped Lunatic in white bandages, and stored his weapon within its case. At that, Liam slung the guitar case over his shoulders, locked his apartment behind him, and made his way to Wonderland.

It was certainly a forlorn place. Left freestanding on the south side of Minimum, the Wonderland was a simple, white building. Most of its windows were smashed, and the sides were all painted with symbols of the Landers. Some were rather clever, others were just moronically phallic. Usually, most people avoided this building like the plague, but not Liam. He walked, rather calmly, through the front doors and into the shadowy, colorful depths of the Wonderland. This was, usually, considered a death sentence to any other Hiatus, save for the Landers. They weren't the most powerful gang in Minimum, that honor fell to the Sonics. They weren't the smartest either, that was the Candy Crush. They weren't even the wildest or most destructive, that was Air Gear. So why? Why, then, would people much rather visit any other gang building in all of Minimum than the Wonderland? The answer was simple: the Landers, apart from the Core itself, were the most feared group of people in all of Minimum. Their Leader, the Chesire Cat, was the cruelest, meanest, most terrifying woman in the whole city. Her Error was really just to reinforce that fact, she didn't need it to send shivers down your spine. Her commands were reason to demolish entire city blocks, her whims started wars, and she was Liam's leader. Liam waved to the Landers he was friends with as he made his way up the stairs and down the corridors that lead him to the scariest room in all of Wonderland: Cat's room. Liam was her personal bodyguard. This wasn't because he was the most powerful Hiatus in the Wonderland, nor was he the fastest, or the smartest. Instead, Liam was far more vauable. He was the most experienced. He'd been there the longest, barring Kaleb. He was, however, without a doubt, the most loyal Hiatus in all of Wonderland, and possibly, in all of Minimum. Liam took his place beside the door, never daring to peek inside, for fear of what might happen to him if he did. Liam may have been a scarred veteran, with years of experience, but he wasn't looking to die anytime soon either.

They day began rather simply. As it became closer and closer to Tea time, starting roughly around ten o'clock, the Landers became more and more... rowdy. Their revelries became louder, wilder, and more destructive as it approached noon, until the noise managed to worm its way up to where Liam now stood, at Cat's door. Liam had warned them. He told them that making so much noise while the Mistress was still sleeping was a bad idea. Even worse, to be starting the Tea Party so early, and without the Mistress? It was a dangerous game to play. However, the newer recruits ignored him, and he refused to repeat himself. It was their mistake really. If they should turn to gibbering buffoons, locked in their own heads with fear, then it was no concern of his. In fact, Liam almost hoped it might happen. Not only would it create a stronger sense of discipline within the Wonderlander ranks, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying to have to deal with every morning. After issuing his warning, Liam stood patiently against the wall, awaiting the obvious consequence of his peers' actions.

Finally, the disturbance was too great. The Cat had awoken. "Fools!" Cat exclaimed as she stepped out of her room, two strands of her hair pulled into the usual braid as she made her way down the winding staircase of the tower, the morning sun already streaming through the windows that now lighted the abandoned tower up in a dim, muted light. As Liam followed behind her, he forced himself to suppress a smirk. Watching Cat become angry with someone who wasn't him was rather enjoyable. Such notions had to be hidden, however, lest he incur the Mistress's wrath. "Do I have to remind you of the time?" She yelled at them all furiously, silencing the revels instantly. Attempting to assuage his leader's anger, Liam spoke. "Of course not Mi'lady. It's not even noon yet, Wonderland knew that already. I tried to warn them that you wouldn't be pleased, especially when they started the Tea Party without you. I suppose they simply couldn't wait any longer." At that moment, Liam couldn't help but smile softly at his Mistress, the Chesire Cat. Never, in his wildest fantasies, would he have imagined the Queen of Hearts to be this physically unimposing. His Mistress was a powerful, terrifying woman, that much was certain. However, there was something to be said about the way she threw tantrums like a little girl. To be entirely fair, she was much younger than him. Liam forced himself to suppress a chuckle. She was even rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Cat placed her hand on her forehead. Groaning, she turned to Liam. "Don't give me that look." She gave Liam a glare before turning her strides. Despite the glare, it did not hold any distaste, but simply a look of annoyance that usually came with her morning tantrums. As she addressed him, her words cloaked with venom, Liam had to suppress another chuckle, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was just her way. He knew she wasn't actually angry with him, but he didn't dare say otherwise. The she really would be angry with him. Liam shuddered at the thought. Instead, without saying a word, Liam adjusted the guitar case on his back, then drew a pinched line across his mouth, zipping it shut. Her thoughts now aimed for the small locked door on the left side of the room. Cat's every step was accompanied by the heavy dress swaying at her feet, the train of which dragged along the ground. The room that opened from the small lock in her hand appeared sinister, but its contents were anything but such. With a few moment's hesitation, she placed her hand on the large can before her, handing it to Liam as a small smile lingered on her lips.

As the revelry descended into it's usual madness, Liam made occasional glances at the clock. It was high noon, almost three o'clock. It was nearly time. As the clock struck two thirty, Liam took a single step forward, and leaned over, placing his head over Cat's shoulder. He was still a good distance away, so as not to earn a slap from his mistress, but close enough that their conversation would remain private. "Mi'lady, it is now half past three o'clock, precisely. We should be going now, or else we will be late for the arranged meeting at the Truce Zone." Liam said simply, just low enough that she would be the only one to hear him. Once he had finished, Liam took a step back, at his usual spot behind his mistress.

At Liam's words, a hint of confusion flashed across Cat's eyes before realization dawned. It wasn't surprising that her eyes immediately blazed with anger at the sudden reminder of the event that was doomed to take place for the day. Liam was smart to take a step back, for her arm immediately flew up, missing his head by inches as she pulled herself up from the chair. Her palms slammed onto the table, and their sudden motion, along with the noise, silenced the room. For a few, long seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of Cat's breathing; angered, ragged. It took Cat a moment before she calmed herself, but her eyes still retained that cold glare she had held ever since the Tea Party started. "Kuni!" She yelled, demanding the presence of her lieutenant. The silence lingered in the room as Cat remained motionless for a few seconds, her hands scrunching up the table clothes with frustration and annoyance that she did not bother to hide. "Liam." Her eyes flickered toward the loyal member, the anger in her eyes still blazed despite the cheery atmosphere the room was soaked in but a second ago. "You're with me. Let's go." Typical Cat, her voice not even allowing a hint of question to her demand. When she directed her attention back to him, Liam merely nodded, silent, stoic, and compliant. It only made sense. The Savage Nymph would have followed the Chesire Cat's bobbing tail until it no longer possessed the strength to fly. Even then, it would have walked, crawled, and dragged itself across the ground to ensure her safety.

As the gang marched to the Truce Zone, Liam felt Cat's eyes flicker upwards at the members that followed her. A silent warning for Liam. Any misconduct or weakness, any at all, would be punishable by immediate death. While she fully trusted in his abilities, the other members that were gathering here today could crush them all, easily, if they put their mind to it. Liam merely nodded, continuing to walk silently behind his Mistress. Every so often he reached up to adjust his guitar case, so it would sit more comfortably upon his back. He adjusted the zipper at the top of the bag as he walked. The resulting opening was just wide enough to stuff his fist into at a moment's notice, should things go poorly, though, hopefully, they wouldn't. Unfortunately, Liam had no more time to mentally prepare himself for the meeting. They had arrived.

As Liam walked down to the main floor, his mind was racing. This was a meeting of all the biggest gangs in Minimum. The slightest provocation, and war would erupt, bathing the city in fire. As he walked alongside Kaleb, behind Cat, Liam begrudgingly admitted, the person to make that happen was, most likely, going to be Cat. Her hatred of Ryota was well-known by every single Hiatus in all of Minimum. She opposed him at every turn, defied him, fought him, and hated him with every fiber of her being. Her eyes caught his as they gazed at the small group's destination. She was nervous, but simultaneously confident beyond all belief. She defied anyone to lie to her, to tell her no, to look at her wrong. She was, in Liam's eyes, the only person who would ever command his respect. She would be, from now until forever, the only one for whom Liam would ever kneel. Everyone else would have to kill him first. It was times like this that Liam remembered why he and... he and his partner, had chosen Cat. She was, in a word, fearless. She was proud, she was regal, and she was terrifying. Liam nodded as she caught his eyes. No other words were necessary. They both knew exactly what was going on. Thinking quietly to himself, Liam smiled. "Let the madness begin..." Liam only smirked, but in the back of his mind, he was worried. It wasn't something many people could feel, but Liam knew Cat the best. She was just barely holding back her anger. If she had truly allowed herself to rage, all the fodder class Hiatus in every gang would have fainted by now, their worst fears coming to life in their own heads. With Liam's voice, a faint smile rose on her lips accompanied by a chuckle that eased their tension slightly, something perhaps only Liam was able to achieve in such a situation. A mischievous look flashed in her eyes. "Commence the Mad Tea Party." She said simply. With that, her signature Cheshire Cat grin flashing wide for all to see. Her anger temporarily forgotten, or so it seemed, Liam relaxed, but only just. He didn't want to get too comfortable just yet. Preferring to stand, Liam took his place behind Cat. Sitting was a position of hesitation. He needed to be ready for anything.

At Cat's signal, Ryota's second in command and the lieutenant of the Sonics, released his error. His eyes glowed faintly, and his body was surrounded by a powerful pulse of bright blue light. It faded fast, but the gesture had not been lost on Liam. The meeting had truly started, and each of the four gangs were made to have one member each release their Error. Looking to Kuni, Liam waved his hand in a nonchalant manner and smiled, speaking just loudly enough that only Cat and Kaleb would hear him. "Please, do remain seated Kaleb. You and Cat are the aces, after all. It would be best to keep such cards hidden until the appropriate time, no?" Reaching behind his back, Liam produced Lunatic from its case, slamming the business end onto the ground beneath him. The resulting crash silenced his gang mates. The Landers, arguably the loudest present, weren't being obedient or compliant. They were scared. As Liam's error activated, his eyes flashed a dangerous shade of gold, and Fox-Fire licked up the length of Liam's blade, consuming the bandages that were wrapped around Lunatic within seconds. The fire's cool temperature chilled the south half of the room to a mere twenty degrees Fahrenheit in seconds. As the bandages fell away, the fire quenched itself, there was nothing left to burn. Once the fire had gone, the room's temperature returned to normal. Liam's Error was still active, and he was ready to use his powers at a moment's notice, but the only way to tell was in his eyes. They shone with a dim light, like the reflection from an animal's eyes in the dark. With the proper etiquette observed, the meeting began. Liam's face showed no emotion, but he listened intently to all that was said, and committed it to memory.

With a tired sigh and half-hearted wave backwards, Nia trudged her way out of Stardust -- her place of work, of all things -- and into the unforgiving bowels of Minimum. It had been in the morning hours when she had left home (a time under the lasting ends of night sky), but it was most definitely late afternoon now; the streets were filling, growing busy with joy in those released from the clutches of education. They were kids, most of them-- young, rowdy in the way that Hiatus and Errors could never afford to be, 'kind of like how Castor and Alya used to be, aren't they? And probably just as (affectionately) stupidly idealistic.' She seemed to remember them more, lately; but she had always been haunted by the nostalgia, so nothing goes to say. 'Just melancholy at its' finest, unfortunately.' It was probably fortunate that Nia had lost the pain that used to come with the memories, somewhere over the years. Not that any would help her now, or that blaming herself ever would have.

There wasn't much to shake herself out of, but -- upon finishing her (now) lukewarm coffee and boarding the 2:23PM train -- Nia turned to the talk of most Hiatus that day: the Big Fours' meeting down at the Truce Zone. It wasn't difficult to guess the outcome with or without experience, shit was most definitely going to hit the fan that night. She couldn't think of a time when the Landers and Sonics didn't end up butting heads literally every time they saw each other, and god forbid that this be the appropriate place to start. Even Nia stayed the fuck away from the Cheshire Cat (but not necessarily her chronies) whenever she could. 'That right there? A mess that I'm not touching with a ten foot pole, no matter how fucking annoying her opposition might be.'

Whatever it was between Ryota and the Ainsley Cat, she never wanted to know.

It was twenty minutes to three when Nia stepped onto East Minimum ground, a minuscule amount more relaxed buried under the sound made by a crowd. She shifted the conspicuous staff-shaped bag across her shoulders and made for home, already mildly antsy for the meeting to come. As unafraid of her own safety as she was, this kid was, as she put it, 'entirely unappreciative of throwing every other Sonic into a pit of vipers'. As much as she didn't care about people that much, Nia would rather not lose her gang mates (or have them in a vegetative state, like a certain someone).

But, in any case, Error life never granted anyone a choice. And, as she stepped onto the beach -- home to Sonic Boom --, she resolved to ignore the threat of imminent death once more. A soldier never discourages himself outside the field or purposely debilitates himself in battle, or something like that. She supposed it didn't really matter, and promptly crashed in her room until four-thirty (Edwin's call); in which case she got up, groggily made coffee in the machine, (if time permitted, showered), and left accordingly with the rest of the best (so to speak).

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Present Time (8:30PM)

'Beware, you know that these people aren't friends, and they only have your worst interests at heart. You knew they were gonna slit throats and roll heads...'

Standing behind Ryota and to the left of Edwin, Nia remained still; almost relaxed as she waited, eyes darting from one gang to another. As much as it wouldn't make too much sense for things to really break out (that would prompt Core, not to mention a massacre in and of itself), she was evidently on edge-- the tension in the room seemed to run that way. At least it seemed as if it there would be more than Edwin and Nia running interference between the Sonic and Lander powerhouses, 'Liam, for one, and any other gang that doesn't want a riot or destruction on their hands. Logically, anyway.'

"Commence the Mad Tea Party."

Nia showed little to no reaction to both Edwin and Liam's subsequent Error activations (although, to the latter-- 'Show off.'), but grew more alert; almost itching for the double-ended spear in the case on her back. There was little left to do, by then, other than to listen semi-attentively at the Azura's words; nothing particularly surprising, considering the nature of the Error-Core relationship. She supposed that the best (or more) was yet to come, something big enough to warrant the need for a large-scale meeting; and thus did nothing but silently pay attention until there was a call to action.

Humans were such idiotic creatures. They were greedy. They were selfish. They killed each other for money and they limited themselves in this tiny, tiny world called Utopia. Michael hid a chuckle of amusement as he continued to work, dragging his feet through the boring routine of a bank accountant. No one knew what he was. No one thought he was dangerous. No one believed he could kill them without batting an eyelash either. New flash, people... No one planned a murder aloud, either. He flashed a charming smile to one of his female customers, earning a giggle and a big flush from the woman. She was not that good looking unfortunately. Not that good for him. He typed the information, glancing at a file next to his working desk with a small smirk. He had all the information about the deaths of some certain people. And he was very amused right now. Michael flipped through the file, fixing his tie absently. Small fries, really. Unimportant. But this was a move from Core. Provoking them, perhaps? Making the groups become angry and make mistakes? He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. Checking the clock, Michael noticed that his working hours were over and he stood up, putting his files in his suitcase.

He walked out of the office, waving his hand toward his co-workers, half of them he had bedded. He shook his head. Pathetic fools. Charmed by his smile and attitude. He looked down on those people. Yes, he liked having sex. But he also felt that they gave in too easily. Pathetic fools. Michael looked up at the night sky and smiled almost wistfully. Oh how he wished he could be as free as those beautiful starlights. He felt so restricted. By these laws, by these mortals and by these goddamn world in general, being caged behind those tall walls and never got to fly. He placed his hands inside his pocket, idly walking back to his place, an old but still very neat and comfortable house. The only place that held good memories. Michael stood outside the door, hesitated for the briefest second before he walked in, wearing a gentle smile on his face. He went to greet his sister, planting a small kiss on her forehead as she giggled mindlessly. "Hello, little sister, did you have fun today?" He asked, smiling sadly as he took a seat in front of the beautiful girl. The girl giggled and nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh! I had fun! I talked to Mister Rabbit and had tea party and then I got a beautiful dress and then I got cut by the knife and it hurt but then I smiled and I saw Mama and Papa and then-"

"Easy there, little sis, you don't have to talk so fast. Deep breath." Michael instructed, wiping the crumbs of the leftover breakfast on her white dress and carefully bandaged the new wound of the girl's ankle. 20 years old and she still acted like a small child. He gently gave her a bath, showing no sign of reaction even though Lily had a very curvy body for a woman and he was a rather physical man. He took his time, dressing his sister up, checking over every single bruises and scratches before feeding her spoon by spoon. "Brother has to go to work now." He said after he finished her bed time story, petting her head gently as he sat next to Lily, his hand gently held his sister's. "B-But... Can't you stay?... I'm lonely... And you always work..." Lily said pleadingly, looking at Michael with big brown eyes. Michael felt his heart clench. "I'm sorry, Lily... I will spend as much time with you as possible. But... I have work to do. I need to put food on this table, too, hmm?" He soothed, kissing her forehead. "It's just a meeting. I will be back soon, I promise. And I don't break my promises when it comes to you."

It still took awhile to convince Lily that he wouldn't leave her and by the time Michael left the house, it's already 7.00. He stuffed his hands in his pocket loosely, his gray button up shirt and jeans were neat and clean. He eyed the street, his sharp grey eyes took in everything behind thin frame. He was carrying a thick file with him. It didn't take long for him to arrive to the shop, listening to his leader with attentive eyes. He nodded, agreeing to the term. He was a polite man. Yes. And he surely could observe people's reaction. That was what he did half of the time. Observing. And then striking when people least expected. He followed Alex and chuckled lightly when he realized their group was the third one, taking his usually spot next to Amira, the second in command, flashing everyone a cold smirk. Well, well, well, today's meeting sure was an interesting one. He knew more than half of these people. Michael propped his hand up, listening to the greeting of one of his own friends, Cat, a smirk graced his lips as he pulled out a lollipop and placed it in his mouth, humming a soft tune. His eyes shifted when Alex - his 'future wife' spoke, her greeting much tamer and duller than Cat's. A snort left him though, when people started to activate their Errors. Such fools. Did the concept of 'keeping your powers' hidden escape those people? Perhaps so, it was rare to see people with brains nowadays. He flashed the people who he knew another smile, winking at his childhood friend Kuni and let his gaze linger on certain members longer than necessary.

At the words of his leader about the attack, Michael stepped forward. "Aye, I have the files of each member that has been assaulted. I have already copied the files and arranged them so that those belonged to your group will be on top and the others at the bottom. Please look over these files and make sure there's no mistake." He said coolly, passing over the files to his 'fiance' and the other leaders of the other groups, keeping a cool facade. He stood up straight and put his arms behind his back. "However, in the process of collecting information, I notice a strange thing." He said finally, taking out the last file that contained only a single person. Michael carefully placed it on the table in front of Alex. He tapped at the picture.

"Jackson Glenn, 25 years old, new member, alliance unclear, used to be in a motor gang, was a drug dealer and came from an abusive family. Died in the newest attack." He explained, showing the picture of a thin but angry young man. "I have evidence that suggests he was a double agent. However, at this state, there's only vague evidence, no clear conclusion just yet. It might fit the reason why the group was attacked in the first place. He might have passed the information to Core. With your permission, I'd like to continue to investigate his case, trying to find how much information has been leaked and how long this has happened as well as confirming his identity." He said, pushing the file so that it was in the center of the table for the other leaders to see. He was positive this one was a spy. And this was not the only one in the groups. His sharp eyes took in everything, making sure that he caught every person's reaction. Michael allowed a soft chuckle of amusement escaped his lips.

A person is smart. But people are stupid indeed.

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Rachel Donzen woke up from her afternoon nap at 6:00 PM to get ready for the Gang Meeting at 8:30. She has 2 hours and 30 minutes to: take a shower, wash her hair and make sure it’s all nice and shiny (that always took about an hour, because she has so much hair), put her pretty pink bow in her hair, put on her little pink dress, get her big pink boots on, have a glass of strawberry milk, and is finally ready to head out the door of her apartment. Before heading out, however, Rachel stops to look at herself in the mirror. ”Well... Well… Don’t you look all cute today, Ray Ray. Of course, you have to look pretty on the outside. Inside, you are just a dirty worthless who… I better get going or I’ll miss the meeting… Not like it matters anyways… We never accomplish anything at these dreadful things.” After Rachel was done talking to herself in the mirror, she slapped her eyepatch on her face, stuck a piece of bubble gum in her mouth, grabbed her parasol, and left the building.

Rachel made it to the truce zone just in time to hear Nem’s instructions to the group. She had to run some ways to get here on time. She stood beside one the other Air Gear members, Phin. She seemed out of breath, breathing heavily. ”As we discussed, I want Miseria in the gallery with the rest of wor lot. Keep the peace if you can, we’ve never sparked anything and I don’t want that to start now. You two with me for the meeting. Karem, lad you can offer your error for the meeting as our sign of good faith.”, he told Rachel and the two other top members of Air Gear.

“O…K! Pick fights with everyone… cause chaos! Got it!” She looks up at Nem and gives him that big smile of hers, “Just kidding! I’ll be on my best behavior! Sir!” She gives Nem a little salute before following him to his seat and taking a seat right next to him.

Most people in the room seem tense, but not Rachel. Rachel leaned back in her chair, and put her feet up on the table. Her parasol is open and she holds it by the shaft above her head. And she is still chewing her bubble gum, blowing out a bubble every once in a while. She didn’t look anyone in the eyes, didn’t greet anyone. Even when the a few the other showed off their Error and the Cheshire Cat spoke "Commence the Mad Tea Party." to launch the meeting, Rachel didn’t do a thing. She lounges in her chair, seeming to not pay any attention. This must be her version of "being on her best behavior." She never has anything nice to say to the people at these meetings and could cause a fight.It's like they say after all, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Rachel doesn't normally follow this advise however. In fact, it probably just a matter of time before her craving to always be the center of attention kicks in; and the best way to gain attention is to cause trouble.

Michael cocked his head and looked at everyone, his face betrayed absolutely nothing of what he was feeling or thinking right now. He eyed Ryota, nodding gently at the compliment but didn't speak anything. His calculating grey eyes took in the anger of Cat. He placed his hands loosely at his sides, not even moving to defend himself, waiting for the loud woman to finish speaking. Once she was done, Michael continued to wait, allowing the silence to stretch out as much as possible. Finally, when he deemed that everyone had had enough with the waiting, Michael calmly opened his mouth to speak. "Is that all?" He asked silently, eyeing Cat with the utter coldness of someone who wasn't afraid of deaths. "Shall we proceed? Or are we going to spend all this meeting explaining to you about my usage of words? If you have paid attention, I said 'evidence that suggests.' I did not accuse anyone of anything." He stated clearly, placing his hand on the table, unfazed by Cat's anger. She was the fool here, not him. She took in the information and got mad even without reasons. He was discussing with calmness. Thus, she was the one that acted like a hot-headed fool.

Michael pushed his glasses up and turned to the other leaders. "Now that we have had Miss Cheshire Cat's anger mixed in with the meeting... as usual. I shall continue with what I was saying before I got..." He looked down on Cat and turned to the other ones. "politely interrupted by miss Charming and Elegant over there." He took a few pictures from his pocket and placed them on the table. "According to my source, Glenn had been caught several times at suspicious places before he got killed." He explained clearly, pointing at the pictures. "As you can see, this is Glenn talking to a few characters that have been confirmed as the member of Core." He said, looking into Cat's eyes. "Please hold any questions or possible tantrums until the end of the meeting. Some of us do not have that much time and resolving problems in a relatively quiet place is easier than that of a noisy room caused by a hormonal teenager."

With that being said, Michael felt into his usual calculating silence again, his eyes darted to each leader's face, observing their reaction. He did not insult anyone though~ If Cat took that as a personal insult~ Well, it was clearly that she thought of herself that way~ Did Michael even say that 'hormonal teenager' was a female~? Nope. He looked into Kaleb's eyes, his piercing gaze spoke thousands of words but at the same time, he didn't say anything. He pushed his glasses up again, activating his power. He created a beautiful red rose, placing it right at Cat's direction. "A beautiful rose for a beautiful and elegant lady." He said, his voice was absolutely serious though he was mocking her on the insides. Katherine? Beautiful, perhaps. But elegant? An elephant was probably more elegant than that brat. He returned to the meeting. "Of course, there are several more evidence. But unless you all want to take a look at it. I shall keep it for myself in case it got destroyed by unwanted factors." He smirked and took a step backward with a small shift of his head. "My report is done for now." He stated, simply waiting for a response.

(Oopsie... I'm sorry)

Kaleb listened to the words of other closely. And when Cat exploded, he took her hand gently, giving her a smile. "Peace, please? Micheal does not mean harm..." He insisted, knowing Micheal very well as well as Cat. She was pissed, but he took it as his job to keep her slightly calm. He sent Micheal a small smile, hoping to get him not to piss Cat off much more. He did not need people turning on his friends.

He stood up, deciding to speak. He was rare, and people usually could not hear him very well because he was usually quiet. But Kaleb hoped that Liam or Cat could say it louder for him. First, he turned to Liam and gave a timid and shy smile. "You would be a better lieutenant any time." And then he turned to the group take a moment and a breath. "I... I kinda... Like Ryota-kun's idea... B-But... We-We would well... Maybe... Uh... have someone... Of higher rank... Be-Because... It could well... Ensure loyalty... And... If found out... They... Well would have a higher chance... Of surviving... C-Core is strong... But so are we... L-Liam was right..." Kaleb said, aware that his voice was varying in sound, "T-They are scared... Or... Well... Otherwise we would not be at war... And no spies would be needed."

Kaleb poked his fingers together nervously. [color=purple]"I... I know that... Well... No one wishes to give... Up a leader... But... I think that... The calmer the better... Because... Well... A calm head thinks better in rushes... And... I'll just be quiet now."[color] Kaleb felt stupid. He didn't even know if he contributed in the least to what was going on... He sat back down, hanging his head. His hands were shaking greatly. Why was he the lieutenant again? Oh yeah... His friend.

Michael inclined his head, clapping his hands softly at Liam's mini-speech. "Very well said, my friend." He said calmly, smiling like nothing had just happened. Quite frankly, nothing had just happened at all. At least according to him. If a leader could not even keep their calm, they really shouldn't be a leader. Hot-headed fools were no leader material. He stepped backward, giving room for the other to speak, raising an eyebrow at Ryota's bold suggestion and then at Kaleb. Ah, what an interesting idea. What should he do now? Running a hand through his hair, Michael tapped his fingers on the table softly, appearing to be deep in thought. Should he even consider this? He could be dead if he wasn't careful. But... Death was just also another foolish limitation, correct? Why should at he fear death? What if there was a limitless world after it? People feared what they did not know or understand. Michael was pretty sure he had seen the dark side of the world. More so than that Madoka girl. Yes, she was not a member for nothing. But... She wasn't that evil. She didn't have the heart to do what people considered immoral in order to archive their goals. He could. He understood it more so than most.

Making up his mind, Michael looked up, meeting eyes with each leader respectfully before he opened his mouth to speak. "Kuni is correct. Miss Little Lion over there lacks what I can call... The will to do evil things." He said softly, not provoking anyone, merely stating a fact. "Miss Lion, could you look at each of us straight in the eyes and tell me that you could kill a person's lover or their parents in order to archive what we are hoping you could do? Could you wrap your fingers around their necks and squeeze the life out of them if they accidentally see you giving us a message? Could you watch the life dies in their eyes, knowing that you are the reason a person's life is lost? And their family grieving for what you did?" He asked calmly, placing his hand on the table.

"I am not famous. Nor am I any important. Yes, I do admit, my intelligence can be a bit higher than some people. But a lot of people are smart. And my future wife here is smarter than anyone I know. I believe if, by the sheer chance that I'm caught with no way out of it, I can commit suicide just fine without a hint of regret. I can kill without batting an eyelash and as Aid has said before, my information is organised neatly and straight to the point. I do not do things in a biased way. I write what I see and I write no lie. Perhaps it is best that I become the sacrifice pawn for the good of this chess game. I can still make friends with the newbie. He is mentally unstable after all. Much like my sister. I don't need anything in exchange for this. I merely want you all to promise me something if you let me go. Protect my sister. Take care of her." He said softly, running a hand through his hair slowly.

"And as much as I want to deny it, I hold some dirt on some members of Core. So I know it's not going to be a problem trying to find a position. I have a plan though..." He said softly, leaning closer so he could whisper out the words instead of speaking it aloud. "Instead of spying, why don't we do an assassinate mission? We all want him dead, correct? Or at least injured and helpless. I can infiltrate his rank and spy on you... But that's it. i can only do so much with my power. I'm that physically strong compared to some of you... So if I may be so bold as to suggest another person with me..." He said softly, his eyes shifted to each person before he stopped at Liam's place. "Liam... Would you like to do this with me? You are physically strong and is a very good soldier. You are famous, correct. But your nickname is the Savage Nymph for a reason, correct? You are not a Lieutenant either. We can easily arrange this so that it appears Liam and I betray you all and wish to search for a safe place in Core. Liam is strong. I can help him gain people's trust until the right time and he destroys Core from the inside while you all on the outside. It's going to be hard and risky, yes. But I am well informed and I can twist words for my own needs." He said softly, leaning closer.

"So? What do you think, leaders? It is at least worthy of your consideration, right? If you are too afraid you will lose a strong person, I will also stand out to be the sacrifice pawn. I just want Core dead. Mainly because I hate limitations. And they are the limitations I need to overcome in order to archive my freedom. So please, let me do this." He said, his voice returned to normal volume after speaking out the plan. He hoped they would at least approve. Why a spy when you could get an assassin?