Rika and Lin looked to Ace as his input was offered. The Royal Navy offered some protection, yet on the open seas they would be fair game. As the Empire settled into more and more foreign worlds, it would be a surprise if the group wasn’t treated as a hostile force. The ability to make an impression might already be determined by those who had erected a flag before them. Rika believed that they could get by if they acted the role they needed to, while Lin looked at her garments and frowned slightly after Ace’s observation. Rika had witnessed Lin’s attention turn towards her clothing and had placed a hand on her shoulder to help put her at ease. [color=fff79a][b]“Don’t worry,”[/b] [/color]The assassin started, [color=fff79a][b]“a little fun fact: the Chinese are here, too. Your clothing may not be so strange. It’s Ace and I who might need to worry, but then again maybe not.”[/b][/color] Lin appeared much more at ease after the fact, nearly hugging herself. The clothing she wore was custom made from her world. To shed it would only be appropriate for bathing herself or washing the outfit.[color=ed1c24][b] “I am glad to hear it.” [/b][/color] [color=fff79a][b]“Chin up.”[/b][/color] Rika patted the shoulder of her companion twice before her eyes returned to Ace. She beckoned him to follow closely, eyes momentarily laying on the mansion they were leaving behind. It did seem odd that a home that impressive appeared to be empty. As annoying as it was to admit, Ace might be on to something. Beginning a descent towards the port, Rika’s eyes traveled from the idle ships resting in the harbor to the line of guards along the towers of the nearby fort. It was difficult to tell from this distance, but the colors were a little too dark for her tastes. [color=fff79a][b]“Our plan …is to not do anything stupid in the meantime, like that woman said. And as much as I’d want to scout out that fort and see what’s changed since the Empire’s shown up, I’m starting to suspect that’ll be a bad idea.”[/b][/color] Her hands took hold of her hips, eyes wandering downward to the coarse dirt road beneath them. Tracing several wheel tracks forward towards town, she came to an immediate stop and looked back up. The lids of her eyes had partly closed. [color=fff79a][b]“The person we’re meant to meet up with, the world leader that the woman referred to, we can’t do this without them. I thrive in environments like this, but it demands more than skill, it demands immense reputation and ample leadership. None of us have that here, not even myself.” [/b][/color] [color=ed1c24][b]“Then, do we have any advantage?”[/b][/color] Lin questioned curiously, [color=ed1c24][b]“That woman placed you in charge for a reason. She must see your ability to work well here in some form.”[/b][/color] [color=fff79a][b]“Yeah, but that only goes so far. I could gather information, I could kill a target, yet my skills can’t contribute to a complete uprising on the scale we’d need in a world this large. I’m not enough.”[/b][/color] Rika shook her head.[color=fff79a][b] “That woman said my experience would count, but also my ‘familial connection’. Not only that, she said the world leader would be someone familiar …could she have meant—“[/b][/color] A hand had immediately clasped onto her mouth, followed by a strong yank backwards into the pistol-covered chest of a man who’s visage was hidden beneath a white hood. A pistol was aimed directly to her temple, cocked after the fact for good measure. Although Lin had attempted to summon her weapon immediately, the cocking of the foreign, dangerous weapon caused her to hesitate. She couldn’t see the man beneath the hood, yet his identity was of no use to her at the moment. Taking notice of how tightly the man’s hand was pressed against Rika’s mouth, as well as the knee pressed against her waist to keep her lower body pressed forward at an angle, the young girl determined that this man was doing his best to disable her. The man was not taking aim at them with his pistol in spite of the position he already had Rika in. She was completely subdued, and her expression was both alarmed and curious. Lin knew of Ace’s ability of detection, and Rika already held considerable skill herself in the art of sneaking. How could someone manage to sneak up on the both of them? [color=aba000][b]“You,”[/b] [/color]The hooded man looked toward Ace, the darkness of his hood keeping his features masked except for the tan of his lips and the distinct fuzz of facial hair that shone from the sun, [color=aba000][b]“the one with the pretty face and the sword; state your business.”[/b][/color] ~-~ The Turks immediately looked to Shinobu upon Ryoko’s sudden request. Rude and Tseng had no issue with walking away, but it was Elena and Reno who wanted to stick around. The former wanted to see Ryoko squirm a little more just so she knew what it was like to be the one getting yelled at, while Reno just liked the drama unfolding, just as long as it wasn’t becoming too uncomfortable for him. Shinobu had seen the familiar signs of Ryoko losing her grip; rare, but still a surprise after all this time. Despite his impatience for the failures of an Empire he supported up until this point, he was hesitant in making her bear the weight of the consequences now, especially in front of his subordinates. He pulled away from her and relocated to his desk, drawing out the action for a few more seconds than necessary, as if weighing his options in his mind. No matter how he felt, Ryoko still deserved better than this for now. It wasn’t as if she was the one who ordered a careless strike. [color=a36209][b]“Tseng,”[/b][/color] the Mayor muttered, pulling out the topmost drawer of his fine desk and retrieving some keys, [color=a36209][b]“I need you to head to Agrabah immediately and confirm the destruction. When you arrive and get a good measure of it, send me images. And should the people be in a good state of mind to tell you what occurred, have them tell you all they possibly can about what led up to this. Am I clear?”[/b][/color] He tossed them to Tseng before any clarification was given. Tseng – having caught the keys in hand without moving any other inch of his body – nodded his head once.[color=a0410d][b] “Understood.”[/b][/color] [color=a36209][b]“Good. Elena will be joining you. This is ample time for her to get some experience in the field.” [/b][/color]Shinobu looked to Elena and nodded her head, to which she returned the nod and stood a little straighter. [color=a36209][b]“You’ll do well.”[/b][/color] [color=fff200][b]“Thank you, sir.”[/b][/color] [color=a36209][b]“As for you two,”[/b][/color] Shinobu’s eyes rested on Reno and Rude,[color=a36209][b] “I made the mistake of not attending to that trouble in Hollow Bastion. I need you to visit the site of that destroyed storehouse and examine the area; should anything appear out of place, get back to me.”[/b][/color] He dug into his drawer again and retrieved another set of keys, tossing them to Reno who had caught them as Tseng did, although with a lot more excitement in his catch. [color=ed1c24][b]“These things go to what I think they go to?” [/b][/color]Reno asked, his tone oozing with excited suspicion. [color=a36209][b]“My private hangar, yes. They go to my fastest ships, and can get you to those worlds within the next thirty minutes. That’s as long as there’s no joyriding.”[/b][/color] [color=ed1c24][b]“You talkin’ about me, boss? I wouldn’t—“[/b][/color] [color=a36209][b]“You would.” [/b][/color] [color=ed1c24][b]“I [i]so[/i] would.”[/b][/color] Reno agreed shamelessly. [color=a36209][b]“Glad that’s settled. Message me once you’ve landed, and call once you’ve made some progress. Dismissed.”[/b][/color] Reno snickered and hustled out of the room quickly, quietly muttering for Rude to hurry up before Shinobu had changed his mind. Tseng followed suit, with Elena tagging behind him appearing very pleased with herself. A rookie finally getting a real field assignment, at long last. With Rude to nod his head at Shinobu and close the door behind him, Shinobu waited until the excited voices of Elena and Reno died down outside before he came to join beside Ryoko again, this time taking the seat Reno had filled and turning it towards her. Taking a deep breath, he gestured towards her with his left hand. [color=a36209][b]“Continue.”[/b][/color]