@Yomojo

Rubbing the back of his head, Hueco chuckled quietly, proud of himself. Nice to get praise now and again, especially from people who look up to him. The town of Bishmare. One of the earliest settlements of Kokotha, since built up... Hasn't been changed in decades though, other than a few technological improvements. Hueco said, looking around, seeing the town as a piece of history.

Hueco pointed past the train station, keeper into the Town. Right up there. An apartment building just over yonder. The members will meet us outside... Hueco held his suitcase tightly. Seems suspicious doesn't it? I was wary about it, but the stories about their leader helped me keep trust in them. I will tell you more about him along the way.

@Patches
Juniper looks to the apartment building he points out, frowning. "Ugh, that far? Damn. Well, I wanted to keep it a surprise, for showmanship's sake, but it looks like I'm going to have to bust out the butler bot now. I've been carrying my suitcases for a while, and my arms are starting to get tired."

Setting both bags down, she takes a moment to reach her arms upwards for a stretch before kneeling in front of the storage case. Unbuckling it, she pulls out a spherical mass of metal, hard plates partially hiding a mess of small gears, springs and pistons inside. Standing up with the ball in her left hand, her right hand reaches back to grasp the wrench slung across her back. Giving the ball a casual toss in the air, she swings the wrench around to connect with it mid-flight, an attentive observer possibly catching the shape of the wrench shifting right before it hits the spherical machine. Seemingly set in motion, the ball uncurls itself, four appendages spreading out while something of a head untucks itself from the center.

Landing on two legs, the small, humanoid looking robot stands up to its full height of three feet. June looks over her handiwork, nodding in approval. "Butler bot, carry my suitcase and follow me." she commands it, pointing to the suitcase she left on the ground. The bot turns around to look at June, giving her a small nod before heading towards the suitcase and picking it up with both hands. June slings her wrench back across her back and picks up the empty suitcase that used to house the bot, turning to Hueco. "There we are, that should be good. Want me to carry your suitcase for you? It's probably lighter than mine was."

@Yomojo
Such exquisite design! Folds up for easy transportation and follows simple orders. Hueco said, marvelling at the creation, inspecting it. Sure he was more into Amalgamates, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be fascinated by the creations of others... And from the looks of it, bystanders were interested as well, staring at the two, many noticing their uniforms.

"The Universal Machine? Here? They must be on official business.
"What is that device? Looks like something out of a book."
"If that girl has a robot... Wonder what that beastkin's suitcase does...?"

At Juniper's question, Hueco shook his head. The contents of this suitcase are a bit... Finicky to handle. I'd rather it be in my hands. I only let my boss hold it. Patting the suitcase, he added Plus, it's kinda heavy. Heavier than it looks at least.

@Patches
Noticing the attention her creation had gathered, June's eyes light up as she nods a greeting at the civilians who had stopped to observe the two of them (or three, depending on your definition). Some part of her had known this display would turn heads, but she always felt proud when others were impressed by her handiwork.

~Finicky contents? Heavier than it looks? And he only lets his boss hold it... Jeez, wether he knows it or not, this guy is a real tease.~ she thinks to herself, attention turned back to Hueco. "Sure thing. Must be nice, having a rune to help boost your strength. I wouldn't even be that surprised if you could deadlift more than me." she says with a wink, her tone joking enough to make it clear she isn't jealous. As much as she used to envy those with runes, it had been years since she had come to terms with her position, and she now felt comfortable joking about such matters.

"So, about this "King" figure..." Juniper prompts, striding into motion towards the town. Quick on the uptake, the Butler Bot pivots in place and begins to follow its current master. The first few steps it takes are a bit wobbly, as if it is not used to walking, but it doesn't take long until it has found its stride, solid despite its inorganically rhythmic cadence.

@Yomojo
I'm sure you're stronger than me. Getting a rune doesn't mean I'm automatically able to lift heavy objects. I just don't completely trust people with this suitcase, Hueco chuckled, before leaning in and teasing the content so suitcase, whispering it so the bystanders wouldn't hear. It's an Amalgamate. But don't let that be known. People might freak out. He left it at that, not touching upon it further. Swiftly changing to the subject of King.

The strangest thing about him, as stated earlier, is that he looks incredibly human. It's even said he is a man who purposely became an Amalgamate... Or was an Amalgamate and modified his appearance to look human. Which is it, I'm not sure on. Hueco said as he walked along, looking at her butler bot as it walked, intending on studying its movements. How do I put it... He wants to unite Amalgamates and humans. I am sure you see problems with his plan. Not every Amalgamate is sane like he is. Some don't even have sentience.

@Patches
Trusting Hueco's judgement, June makes no remark on the fact that he is carrying an Amalgamate in a suitcase. ~If I didn't know him better, I'd think he was crazy. Must be a pretty good reason behind it to bring an Amalgamate along with us, in a suitcase of all things.~

"Well, he's a leader of sorts among the Radiant, so I see two options here. One: the whole lot of them are disillusioned optimists not aware of the consequences, in which case we'll hopefully realize that soon enough to get out of here. However, the more likely scenario is Two: they know something we don't. Some ancient magic passed down through the generations that can bring sanity to an Amalgamates perhaps? Or maybe potion, or a collar, that can keep them in check." June talks as she walks, and from the distant look in her eye one could tell she was saying this as much to herself as to Hueco. "One way or another, we don't want to offend them. This is a different culture that we're going to have to try and integrate into, so ditch any cultural stigmas you might have about Amalgamates. You and I both know that Amalgamates, as we know them, are terrifying and destructive monsters, but I'm going to try my best to ignore that fact, and I trust you to as well."

The bot is doing an admirable job keeping up to them, despite its smaller stature. Because of the relatively large load it is carrying, it has adapted its stride to more of a quick waddle in order to stay stable. Despite carrying the suitcase in both arms, thus obstructing what would be the eyes if it were a human, it hasn't wandered off course, tripped up or bumped into anything so far. "Oh, and one thing I wanted to ask, Hueco." Juniper says, looking over to notice his gaze locked on the bot. "Is there a local formal greeting we should be using? Or just the default "Pleasure to meet you" and bow?"

@Yomojo
It's strange though... We claim that they are destructive and terrifying monsters. However, it isn't unheard of in our research that an amalgamate is capable of communication. We've run some through puzzles. Similar to puzzles used on human infants to test their motor skills and problem solving. Hueco said, as he stopped in front of a large building, nodding to Juniper to note it as their destination. Hueco continued. Some were even capable of minor speech. Even some could use minor sign language. Nothing beyond things like "Hello," "No," "Yes," or "I'm hungry." Some we weren't even sure of if they understood what the words meant. I'm not sure what King could be or if he is truly an Amalgamate but he could potentially mean unlocking things we never knew about Amalgamates. Before them, waiting at the entrance to the apartment, was a man in white, a hood up. On his lapel, was the symbol that Hueco had drawn just days ago on the blackboard.

Bowing would be good. Hueco said, looking to Juniper.

@Patches
"Well that is interesting, for sure. Gives me even more hope that King knows what he is talking about. Oh, and don't forget about the flowers." Juniper reminds Hueco, saying it in a lower tone to make sure they were still out of earshot of the person waiting for them.

"Well met!" June then calls out to the man in the robes, raising a hand in a wave and striding confidently towards the apartment entrance. "I hope we didn't keep you waiting. Lovely town you have, if I may say. I assume the others are inside?" The automata speeds its waddle up slightly to keep pace behind June's longer strides.

Hueco bowed to the man, being polite. Despite researching Amalgamates, experimenting on them, and practicing in the art of Manipulation, he saw them as kin. Anyone who wanted to understand more about amalgamates was an ally of his. Greetings. He said, nodding, You are with the Radiance correct?

The man nodded quietly, but didn't speak. Rather, he stood aside, opening the door, letting the two, and their robotic companion, through; he even motioned inside. Despite his lack of speech and the way he obscured both body and face, which Hueco found somewhat suspicious, the man's posture and mannerisms contained no hostility.

@Patches
"Um, alright... thank you." Juniper says to the man, a bit taken aback by his silence. Maybe he was a mute? Either way, she doesn't want to be rude, so she offers a small bow before heading inside. ~Gotta say, the whole not talking while completely obscured by a large robe routine is not helping the Radiance's "not being a cult" platform~

@Yomojo
Hueco raised a brow at the man's silence, before looking to Juniper and nodding. "Remember, I'm here if dangerous comes. he said in a quiet tone. I may not look like it, but I can help myself in a tussle." He said flexing. His bicep didn't exactly look strong.

The man would lead them down the falls and into the apartment complex. Noticably, there were more people in the same outfit as the man leading them, albeit without the hood obscuring their faces; they all looked human, some with large tattoos on their faces. Many wearing sleeveless shirts, exposing their brands if they were on their arm. "All Casters, huh? No surprise..."

Finally, the tall man would lead them to an elevator, ushering them in with a nod. Finally, with a hushed, odd voice, he spoke. Wuh... W-welcome... his voice, the way he enunciated, sounded less human, and more like something learning to talk.

@Patches
Juniper puts her hand to her mouth and coughs, suppressing laughter at Hueco's attempt at flexing. "Yeah, sure thing. *ahem* I mean, good to know. Thanks Hueco." she says, reigning her tone back in. ~What, does he really think this is an ambush or something? Poor guy must be more on edge than I initially thought.~

Walking down the corridor, June smiles and nods politely as they pass what she assumes are the residents of the building. ~It's just as important to leave a good impression with the populace as it is to leave one with their leader.~ Walking past all of these casters reminded June of being back in Ammonia Avenue, a non-caster surrounded by people with brands. She'd lived in that situation for long enough, however, that it made her feel strangely more comfortable rather than intimidating her.

Walking into the elevator, she is momentarily surprised to hear a voice coming out of the hood of the one who had lead them inside. Realizing that this might be an important moment to make a good impression, she turns to the man without missing a beat, telltale twinkling in the eyes betraying the smile hidden by her collar. "Thank you very much. When I said your town was lovely, by the way, I meant it. I've felt welcomed ever since I stepped out of Hueco's portal. Hueco being my Beastkin compatriot there." she motions to him, then points the hand to herself "And my name is Juniper. We very much appreciate the hospitality." June finishes, small nod of the head showing her sincerity.

@Yomojo
Thank you... the man said, stepping into the elevator with them, between Hueco and Juniper. As the elevator doors closed, he removed his hood, revealing his true appearance. If it hadn't been apparent before, it was clear now, the man wasn't human. His head resembled a mass of intertwining vines and bramble, like a walking bush. Removing his gloves, his hands had the same appearance. An Amalgamate?! We will... Be on... VIP floor.

Hueco's eyes widened in surprise. I've heard of and seen Amalgamates capable of speech... But I haven't seen one wear clothes or imitate a human before. he said, inspecting the man, leaning in to get a closer look. The greeter was like some sort of plant man... Taking the shape of a human. From the looks of it, the amalgamate was allowing it.

@Patches
"Just a reminder, Hueco, we're here as diplomats, not researchers." June says calmly, then looks to the plant-man sheepishly. "That being said, a lot of what we will see here will be new to us, so I hope you don't take it as us being rude. We're part of the Universal Machine, after all. Being curious is in out nature."

Looking the unhooded Amalgamate in the eye, June can't help but have her eyes wander curiously around the vine-laden face. ~Is this normal? A plant based amalgamate? I guess that could be the effect of a stone rune, that's the closest type of magic I can think of to plants.~

Not wanting to seem hypocritic by staring herself, her gaze wanders off the Amalgamate's face, and onto the inside of the elevator they were in. It was in good working order, to be sure, but the technology they used here was at least a decade behind what June was used to back in Ammonia Avenue. There was some appeal, however, to the antique look of the gears that she could tell weren't formed by a machine, the welds that were obviously done by hand, and the occasional small jostle while they were moving up. It felt almost quaint, like a bunch of primitives pulling together their imitations of advanced technology to try and impress emissaries from the big city. ~Well, that's a thought I should definitely keep to myself.~

@Yomojo
Right right, Hueco nodded, scolding himself. He was really curious and would love to research further, but after all, this wasn't a research mission. This was about diplomacy. I'd love to get a closer look at this Amalgamate... Was he originally human shaped or was he a different shape until he met the King? Hueco said, staring at their greeter, his animal ears twitching curiously.

How long has the Radiance been around? Hueco asked the plant Amalgamate, not quite expecting an answer, considering its difficulty speaking. He just had to ask something to break the silence.

But, despite not expecting one, he received an answer. Long... It replied, as the elevator doors opened to the top floor, the three finally reached their destination. Formed not by The King. But by the Khan. They are our leaders... He said as he lead the two further down the hall. The top floor of the apartment consisted of only a few rooms. Only available to those rich enough to afford it; made Hueco wonder just what the Radiance's finances were like.

At the mention of the Khan, Hueco seemed to go into thought, putting a hand to his chin... He heard that name before.

@Patches
"Well, I am glad that you've opened yourselves up to potential allies." June responds to the Amalgamate, tone of voice implying that her thoughts were elsewhere. She hadn't expected to have this much lead-up to the meeting, and all the walking and waiting had built up an amount of suspense. She tenses and relaxes the muscles in her hands, an absent-minded tick she often did while feeling anticipation.

Looking back over her shoulder to check on her Bot, she catches it doing something a bit strange. Its gait had not changed, the steady and mechanical rhythm seeming like it could go on for days without stop. Its head, however, was turned to one side, no longer looking straight at the suitcase it was carrying. While Juniper watched, she notices that the Automata's head moved slightly as they passed rooms, as if it was looking at the doors. ~Interesting, is that a sign of curiosity? I didn't see any of that back in Ammonia Avenue... I wonder if those things are actually capable of developing some form of personality? Something to look into when I get home.~

Unlike Hueco, June didn't feel awkward walking in silence. Footsteps echoing through the hallway, she felt no further need to break the silence as they made their way to the meeting.

@Yomojo
Shaking his head, Hueco continued onward, still thinking of the name mentioned. He too couldn't help but notice the reactions of the Bot. In his days at both the Kokothan and Gishkan HQs, robots like them could form some semblance to a consciousness, but it was no more sentience than an animal from what he's seen. So he got back on track, walking behind the walking amalgamate.

Finally, the two would reach a doorway. Slowly, the plant Amalgamate looked down to the two, towering over them. Be kind. Show respect. The master doesn't wish... For violence.

The door opened, and the two were greeted to... A large cityscape? In a small Kokothan town, in a lonely apartment building, on the top floor, in a small VIP hotel room, was a large open city. It almost resembled New Wickborough, if Hueco or June were observant. Even the sky was visible to them... If that was the sky?

Hueco looked completely paralyzed. With a mix of confusion, curiousity, and awe. ...A pocket dimension? Here? Disguised so clearly?

@Patches
"I..." Juniper managed to start as a response to the Amalgamate, before being cut off by Hueco. Peeking past the small frame of the beastkin to get a look at what had startled him, she found herself momentarily lost for words "Wait... what? That's... that's a city. Alright, well, I was definitely not expecting that."

"Hueco... are you sure this is a pocket dimension? Like your library in Yim? I thought you said..." she trails off, cutting herself off mid sentence. Seeming to think better, she shakes her head. "No, nevermind. I have too many questions, and I don't want to just stand here asking them. So, where do we go now? It looks like there's an entire city in front of us." Lucy asks, still facing Hueco, but turning to finish the question directed towards the Amalgamate. After all, from his reaction, Hueco knows as much about what's going on as she does. Okay, well maybe a bit more, considering he has a pocket dimension of his own.

The plant amalgamate went on through the city, leaving the two behind, his slow walk however would make it easy for the two to catch up with him. Hueco meanwhile was still dumbfounded by the cityscape, hidden inside an apartment building. Crossing his arms and tapping his foot, Hueco gave an answer of his own, "...I have seen many pocket dimensions. Made from both Amalgamates, humans, beastkin, and even dwellers. But I've never seen one that was so hidden. I didn't evil seen the signs of a rift.

Walking on, Hueco waited for the plant amalgamate to give an answer. Pointing to a large building on top of a hill in the dsitance, resembling a capital building, he stated, Up there you'll meet the King. There, you will have what you came for. His voice was clearer, as they went further into the city, less pauses, even the stillness in his voice was gone, He is very excited to meet you. To unite, with one of this world's companies...

@Patches
Juniper takes a look back to make sure the Automata is still following as she walks with Hueco to catch up to their guide. Not having been given any new orders, the little robot is still trudging along carrying the suitcase, head still turned to the side. As far as it knew, with its borderline nonexistent knowledge of the way the world works, this was a completely normal occurrence.

~That plant Amalgamate definitely was not speaking that well before. Either he was putting on a show for some reason, this pocket dimension place has special properties, or there's some sort of magical broadcast in this city that makes Amalgamates more human, probably coming from either a group of casters or a machine~ she thinks, continuing to follow along in silence. She didn't feel like there was anything else worth saying, and she wanted to take in this city as much as she could anyways.

The streets, the buildings, the sounds, and even in a strange way the people, all made June feel like this place was somehow familiar... but that was impossible, of course, since this was only the second time in her life she'd been in Yim, the first being earlier today with Hueco. Still, there was something she couldn't place about this city. ~If this plant guy had any intentions of telling us anything about this place, he would have done so already. So much mystery and ambiguity surrounding this group, but I guess that makes sense, given the reputation Amalgamates have in most places. I'll just have to ask King all my questions, I suppose.~