[IC] Common Sense - A Post-Post-Apocalyptic Revolutionary Tale

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

12:18PM/10:21AM
_{Royal Family ETA: 32 Hours}

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@Lady Amalthea "Oh, good to hear I finally managed to get ahold of you," came Flo's voice from the other side of the line. The edge in her voice contrasted the normally reassuring word choice she used. Perhaps even Flo could get impatient if it was waiting over the phone. "It's me, dear. I hate to bother you again in the middle of your work day, but I've had a change of plans. I'd like to put a rush on that job I've given you. I'd like for it to be finished by the end of the day tomorrow. I'm more than willing to compensate you for any additional fees this would rack up when I drop by to pick it up."

@Nallore "You're not really in the position to be making demands," she yelled from around the corner. Anthony didn't hear any footsteps from the alleyway, so she likely wasn't going to bust out into the open street and open fire. When he slid his phone into the alleyway there were a few moments of pause. "You really think I'd believe a ridiculous story like that? What kind of idiot would believe the guy who's been stalking them and then asks about Victoria Allencourt is just doing something for a friend of theirs? Tell me who you're really looking for and I might let you go." Allencourt? The Allencourts were the current ruling family and had commanded the throne for the past two generations. Family lineage and current gun filled predicament aside, at least he had a name to work off of now.

[Lady Absinthia]

Sunie Marks

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Sunie listened for a response and cocked a brow as she heard Flo on the other end. She wanted it tomorrow? "Hey Flo, that is not going to be possible. The ten to fourteen days was already a rush job, why the additional 10% added to the final cost. Tomorrow is just not possible with the work load I already have, not to mention that I have to order materials. Then there is fabrication time, testing, final touches, and so forth. Even if I had the materials here and no other jobs to do it would still take the until at least the morning after tomorrow," she informed Flo.

The weapons smith did not like the idea of not being able to finish a job a long standing customer had placed an order for but certain terms had been laid out to start. A time frame they both had agreed to just five hours before. She hadn't even placed the order for the materials she would need. Yes she was a weapons smith but Flo had ordered something that was not her usual arms, so she didn't keep a regular stock of materials in her shop. "If you like I can refund the payment next time you stop by but the earliest I could have this done would be five days currently and that is if my supplier can get me what I need by tomorrow."

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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Anthony's eyes looked over for an escape route he could easily just make a run for it for now, so the woman was named Victoria Allencourt. The ruling family, he now had a name to the face for his friend however he just slid his phone over to her he would certainly end up getting himself shot dead if he ran to grab it. "Hey i'm just your friendly neighborhood stalker just tryin' to help my friend get his dick wet with that lady there!" Anthony yelled back being as calm as he could, he hoped that his phone would end up leading to him if she had friends in high places as it were.

"Anyway thanks for the info, see you around lovely cute lady. Maybe we can get a date sometime when you aren't waving a gun at me!" Anthony he decided to call it quits for now, and get the hell out of dodge now, he started to make a run for it back towards the subway. He didn't care what other info that she may have had, he was more in fear for his life at the moment.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

12:18PM/10:21AM
_{Royal Family ETA: 32 Hours}

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@Lady AmaltheaThere was a long pause on the other end of the phone about half a minute in total where the only sounds coming from the other end was the sound of breathing and ambient background noises. Nothing that would really indicate what was going on at the other end if Sunie cared about it.

"I suppose I can arrange for that to work. Just finish it as soon as you can, dear. I'll be sure to make it all work out. I'll drop around closing time tomorrow to imburse you with the rest of the fee." She didn't sound exactly pleased with Sunie's response, but she didn't sound like she had lost her temper either. Despite the finality of her words, she didn't hang up immediately after saying them, so the weaponsmith still had a chance to reply before the call ended if she so desired.

@Nallore"Stop lying to me and just tell me what I need to- Wait, info? What are you- Shit. Wait! Urgh," she stammered in that alleyway. As Anthony booked it he heard footsteps behind him. The woman he had been stalking ran out of the alley in an attempt to catch him. However he was much swifter than she and the heels she was wearing were not good for running. There was one more groan of frustration from behind before the footsteps stopped. Suddenly, he noticed a metal rectangle soar by his head before smashing into little pieces on the sidewalk in front of him. When he passed over it, the familiar bits of plastic indicated that the now utterly demolished projectile had been none other than his phone. Hopefully his plan would cover getting a replacement.

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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Anthony couldn't help but just hold back the laugh and smirked to himself, as he could hear the woman groaning as he heard her heels hitting against the concrete just to catch up to him. Thankfully he was a lot quicker then she was, and he was actually wearing good running shoes unlike the woman who was just wearing heels. Then he heard something hit the ground, looking down as he saw what was the remains of his phone that was now just shattered across the floor just as he had passed over it. He was surprised that the woman didn't actually use her gun, and shoot at him that would have probably been more effective then chucking his phone at him, he didn't even stop to pick it up.

"And now you owe me a new phone lady i'll be sending you the bill!" Anthony yelled back as he quickly continued on his way, back towards the subway that he had just came from after following the woman. He would occasionally look over his shoulder to see if the woman was still following after him or if she was still chasing him.

[Lady Absinthia]

Sunie Marks

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Sunie had not heard this tone from Flo, then again she had never said no to a job from the woman. Granted, she also hadn't had to deal with such a dramatic time frame change just after an order was placed. "Just wait until I find out if I can get the supplies. I will contact you as soon as I know," Sunie said. She didn't want Flo to come up there that evening if she couldn't get the supplies in as quickly as they would need them.

Staying on the line to wait for confirmation, she sat down and rolled her chair over to her computer. Making notes on a piece of paper of what she would need, what she had in stock, what she could pick up quickly herself; or at least try to. Then there was the inevitable items that she knew she would have to order from either out of town or off world even. With what she had in shop she could get started on the molds this evening.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

6:47PM
_{Royal Family ETA: 28 Hours}

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The day was winding down, yet there were few signs that activity within the city would come to a halt any time soon. There were slightly fewer cars in the streets. The homeless were less spread out, coming together in predetermined locations to band together before the night could fall. But even though the curtain would soon fall on the day for most, work continued undaunted for poor Satchel Sommer, Mayor of New Cardiff.

The entire day had been one hassle after another. Oh, the construction on Loop 288, which was planned to be one of the major roads taken when escorting the Royal Couple had yet to be finished despite the initial deadline being set in late June? Well just reroute the entire tour so they don't have to be hampered by such inconveniences. Just a trifle really.

What's that? There's rumors that there'll be an organized protest right outside the Cosmodrome? Well looks like he'll just have to divert the majority of his police forces to a single building to keep undesirables from creating a ruckus. Nevermind the fact that this would remove a stabilizing force from the rest of the city, creating an open opportunity for all sorts of shit to go down from various gangs and quick witted ne'er do wells.

The media won't stop pestering you about various aspects of the murder that happened while you were trying to salvage some sleep last night? You can try throwing them out, but that just makes them get creative. Then they'll wait for you in the bathroom, or climb in through the window, or somehow get ahold of his personal phone number and pester that way. Really the only way he managed to throw them off was by making them think the real scoop was on the other side of the city.

And on top of all this and more, all day he had to deal with the bickering of various nobles all clamoring to assume Ram Tobin's position after his untimely demise came to light. Seriously, the position was just vacated due to assassination and all they could see was a new chance to boost their social status and try to impress Albert or Lilya for even more power grabs. The worst part was how they just expected him to cater to their every whim, resolve every issue related to the coming arrival of the Monarchs and have enough time to run the city as well.

For the time being, he was able to be alone with his work for the first time in 12 hours. As he flipped through the documents strewn about his desk, he came across a stranger among the mostly uniform papers. A handwritten note. Adorned across it was a single word.

ＴＯＮＩＧＨＴ．

[Lady Absinthia]

Sunie Marks

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Sunie leaned back in her seat and sighed a bit before pulling off her welding mask and tossing it onto the work bench. She had made a few calls that day to try to get supplies, put orders in for what she could and rushed everything that was to be shipped. The smithy still was not sure if she would get everything she needed in time to finish what Flo wanted within five days but she was trying.

Once that was finished she had gone to work on various jobs she already had had on her calendar that were due in the next day or two and even called a few clients to see if they would be willing to push back their pick up date. None had taken the offer she made so she was stuck with what she could do. It would be a long next few days but hopefully it would pay off in the end.

Lola and Sana had stopped in for a few minutes to let Sunie know how their day went before heading out. Sunie doubted she would see them again tonight and probably wouldn't until tomorrow morning. It was for the best. They made her work go slower. To help at least some she had closed up shop to keep anyone else from coming to bother her. The shop would remain ~closed~ until she was done, she had enough orders and anyone that was not stopping by to pick up could wait at this point.

Standing from seat she walked over to the basin and splashed some water on her face. She hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch due to work. It was time to at least take a small break, go out and get something to eat. Sure she could keep pushing herself, a days worth of skipped meals didn't hurt every so often but she didn't want to let hunger get the better of her. Picking up her keys she slipped on her jacket and stepped out of the shop. Making sure to lock it up tight and set the alarm before heading down the road to see if she could find something that struck her fancy in the edibles department. Lighting up a cigarette she strolled down the street glancing around.

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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After his little encounter with the woman from city hall he had been stalking Anthony decided to take the train back the way he had been traveling through earlier. He was slightly disappointed that he didn't get to know the girl's name or know her, but then again she did have a gun waving around. After his train ride back Anthony decided to go and buy himself a new phone since the woman ended up throwing it at him, instead of shooting him with her gun.

Anthony got off and started to head off towards the closest store that did cell phones as Anthony walked by a few homeless people and others who were probably turning in for the night. He still had a bit of time before he had that meeting with that woman from earlier in front of the grocery store.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

6:47PM
_{Royal Family ETA: 24 Hours}

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As one walked through the streets of a major city, the habit of ignoring the homeless was one ingrained early as a matter of practicality. You didn't have the time to have your attention snapped up by every poor sod you happened to pass on your way to the supermarket to pick up milk, or by that freak who fondles himself everyday in the same place on your commute. Especially in New Cardiff where there were so many around; the brain just screened them out, like how it would ignore trees or benches. Unless you were specifically looking for them, they were deemed unimportant so that the cortex would be free to ponder other things, like what to have for lunch, or how Becky's new dress really called attention to her rack.

Even with the built in filter, anyone with more than 10 brain cells who spent more than 5 minutes on the street tonight would be able to tell something was up. The homeless were forming groups much larger than they normally would, and the way they whispered amongst each other set off alarms in the primal part of the brain that sensed danger. When it came down to it all that extra programming in the brain was merely peripheral functions to the main job of "make sure you don't die." At the same time, they weren't acting in such a way that would indicate immediate hostility towards the random passerbys that invariably give the mobs a wide berth.

[Lady Absinthia]

Sunie Marks

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The ember of the cigarette glowed bright orange as Sunie drew in a puff to her lungs. Her eyes not really focused on anything in particular and her ears refusing to hear the noise of the city. She could hear the slight crackle of the tobacco and the fall off her footsteps on the concrete of the sidewalk as she moved through the crowd. Her mind was focused elsewhere right then, thinking on the odd slip of paper she had found in shop earlier, the upped date of the contract piece for Flo, and so forth. It was hardly on her surroundings. It was probably better that way, if one got too focused on all the poverty she was passing it could cause a sadness or a depression in someone who actually gave two shits.

Yet as she pulled the cigarette from her lips and blew the smoke out of her lungs her eyes couldn't help but notice the homeless right then. Sure, she rarely ever noticed them. They were tossed away gum on the sidewalk. It was everywhere but unless it stuck to your shoe you just kept walking. Yet today it seemed something was up. Glancing around she took note of how they seemed huddled together, crowding each other. That wasn't normal. Maybe, just maybe, if it was winter and it was freezing outside she could chalk it up to trying to stay warm but not tonight. Rounding the corner she kept an eye out still for a place to eat but her eyes kept darting on the homeless, they were officially stuck to the bottom of her shoe now.

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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As Anthony searched for a new phone, he found the one that he wanted and started to make his way over towards the register his attention turned towards the street. He could see some of the homeless out in the streets, there certainly was a crowd forming of homeless, Anthony wasn't really sure what was going on but he wasn't going to stick around and find out. As Anthony paid for his new phone he started to head out of the store and walked along the sidewalk.

He started to walk back towards his place stuffing his hands into his pockets as he lowered his head so that he wouldn't be seen by anyone, it was odd to see this many people out in the streets but it usually never ended up turning good maybe some kind of protest was forming as far as he knew. And at times they never ended up well sometimes people did get violent during those as Anthony just simply tried to avoid the center of the group and walked along the sides of it.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

6:54PM
_{Royal Family ETA: 24 Hours}

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The longer one walked on the street, the more peculiarities seemed to spring up in the peripherals of their vision. But the moment the eyes fixated upon them, they would vanish. The long shadows of the evening carried phantom malevolence that seeped deep into the crevices of mind. In those dark pits of the subconscious, paranoia took root and bloomed. Regardless of danger real or imagined, the imperative to remove oneself from the open streets as quickly as possible was one not readily dismissed.

@Lady Amalthea Sunie was on her way for a bite to eat, but where was she actually going? There were plenty of restaurants in the area; none were particularly large and more than a couple were of ill repute, but there was definitely a spectrum of tastes and prices available in the immediate vicinity. The uncertainty that loomed over the streets didn't affect those protected by the glass walls. Peril existed on the outside, but in their fortresses of brick business reigned evermore.

@Nallore Armed with a new phone, Anthony sought to brave the elements. He still had another 5 hours left before the scheduled meeting was to occur, but it took no fortune teller to foretell that the date was likely to never come to pass. Perhaps it would be best to retreat to the apartment and wait out the coming storm. However, from direct observation, very few spared more than the briefest consideration for his existence. Maybe the ire of the masses would pass over him, as if he were marked with the blood of a lamb. Or perhaps there could be a place that would not get caught up in the impending disaster.

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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As Anthony continued to walk, he decided to call off the meeting the look of the crowd around seemed to give him a feeling that they could end up turning extremely violent. He already did have a name of the girl, and Anthony was mainly just after his own safety at this point and he also had a feeling that he would bump into that woman from earlier as well. Anthony continued to walk back to his home, still avoiding any eye contact with whoever was there in the streets.

As Anthony started to recognize his street where he lived he started to pull out his house keys and decided to call his friend Lenard and give him the name of the girl. Luckily he did remember it as he started to type in the phone number, while just trying to avoid getting caught in whatever it was about to happen.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

7:07PM
_{Royal Family ETA: 24 Hours}

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Nobody bothered Anthony as he made his way to his apartment. If anybody was looking to cause trouble, he clearly wasn't enough of a target to go after directly. So there Anthony stood in the relative safety of his apartment, phone to his ear. From where he stood, he could see out his window across the street, but not actually was was transpiring below. Leonard wasn't responding immediately to Anthony's call, but given the state the city was in, that was understandable. After about half a minute, someone on the other side finally answered.

"Anthony?" Came Leonard's digitized voice. He sounded out of breath, but he wasn't exactly the most athletic guy out there. For all Anthony knew, he just could have been forced to climb up several flights of stairs. From outside, Anthony heard a loud crash, like somebody dropped (or threw) a glass bottle onto the street and shattered it.

"What's up?" Perhaps a far too informal greeting given the situation outside. Maybe he was oblivious to the fact that a riot could occur any second now. Or he could be making a conscious effort to pretend like that wasn't the case.

[Nallore]

Anthony Ryder

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As Anthony made it back to his apartment with no problem he made sure that it was locked and bolted shut and closed the blinds as her made a quick look out of the window. He ran a hand through his hair as Anthony waited awhile as he waited for his friend Leonard to answer the phone. When he finally did a half minute later Anthony let out a sigh of relief as he went and leaned up against the small computer desk he had in his apartment.

"Well managed to find the name of your girlfriend that you want so much, her name is Victoria Allencourt that noble chick that you have a picture of." Anthony said as he made another quick look out the window and heard of glass shattering on the other end of the phone call. "Whats going on anyway, managed to get in my apartment before the rioting started to get worse." Anthony asked, he wasn't sure what exactly was going on out there.

[Dragoknighte]

July 29^th, 2371

7:07PM
_{Royal Family ETA: 24 Hours}

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"I already told you, she's not my girlfriend. Stop calling her that." Leonard griped from the other side, seemingly unsurprised by the fact that she was an Allencourt. It would be pretty shocking for most, but then again, Leonard was pretty up there as far as societal standing went. Even discounting his status as something of a fashionista, he met a lot of relatively important people. Maybe meeting members of the Royal House was something that happened relatively often for him.

"And what are you talking about? I told you this morning, I've been busy in meetings all day. Is there a fire or something," he inquired. Well maybe he really didn't know about the riot brewing outside. When Anthony looked down at the city, he could see that the crowds of homeless were starting to move in one direction, but he couldn't see much more than that from the angle that his apartment provided.