Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Grande Suite“Magic Null, huh? What a handy ability.” Neil’s eyes flickered briefly, as he leaned further back into the sofa, with his arms still outstretched, one hand precariously close to Marcus’ shoulders. His eyes regarded both the startled Lord Dumont and the mischevious Lady Vasco, a beautiful woman who held the expression of an angry lioness. Whether or not it was her intent, it was clear to read the jealousy seeping from her words and demeanour, despite how much she might try to be polite about it. He couldn’t really blame her, all things considered. Selan was… special.
Kenneth as well looked out the corner of his eyes back towards the party, as his body continued to remain fixed in the direction of the security camera monitors. He said nothing, but stared coolly towards Dumont and Vasco, before flicking his eyes to Selan and Neil, interested in seeing the rest of their reactions play out.
“Can’t say she’s wrong though…” The hand nearest Marcus lifted up, curling into a fist which Neil used to prop his head up and fold one leg over the other, casually making himself more comfortable. “Have to confess, I’m pretty interested in knowing why as well.” He stared at Selan, that infernal grin growing ever wider.
Lord Dumont, however, seemed to be absolutely mortified. Succubus magics! Who could have ever imagined?! And… and why?! He had only met this wondrous, beautiful woman, and now he didn’t know whether to feel betrayed, or insulted, or what! He just looked at Selan, his startled expression turning into one of… hurt.
Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Ground Floor BarThunderhawk nodded towards Aria as she returned with a request for drinks, deftly preparing her a couple of cocktails in record time and placing them on a tray for her to take back to her ‘master’. The two concoctions provided a mixture of fanciful, wondrous colours of tropical pinks and greens, each fitted with a lemon or lime, umbrella and straw. Thunderhawk gave Aria a silent look as she turned and walked away, one to which she gave a brief smile before vanishing, silently understanding what he was trying to impress.
‘Be careful.’Then, his hands moved to quickly mix and prepare drinks for Mordie and their noble, Anthony. Both of them wished to be surprised by what Thunderhawk would prepare them, which made his job slightly easier although hearing a specific request wouldn’t have been any greater challenge. He considered both Mordie and Anthony’s personalites and enthusiasm, preparing just the right drinks he thought would satisfy them nicely. On top of that, in the brief moment where his back and the drinks were turned away from the pair… he slipped a little something extra into the drinks. Something that would act slowly, but otherwise necessary. He didn’t really want to have to do that to a woman as stunning and fun as Mordie, but she did say she was security…
The drinks were finished, and laid out before Anthony and Mordie. Anthony’s was a strong drink, whilst Mordie’s was bubbly and light, each, Thunderhawk hoped, would impress the pair, before they fell into slumber in about an hour’s time. He would have done the same for the noble’s drink that Aria was with, but there was no way of being able to tell which he might have drunk, and which she would. She would hopefully make do, though.
The ranger gracefully bowed before his guests.
“I hope you find these pleasing, sir.” He spoke with increasing difficulty.
Los Paraisos: Outside the Grande Diamond“Okay, fuck this boring shit. I’m going in.”
“…what?!”
Outside the Grande Diamond, still sequestered a short, safe distance away from the mammoth, regal estate, was the remainder of the Pride whom had been left behind when the others infiltrated the building undercover with the hope of finding Estelle, Josette, and possibly the rest of the missing women. During this time, Trixie had remained nested in her bush, her eyes never leaving the guards patrolling outside, whilst Moira, Amy, Syed and Lisette waited outside, silence reigning over them. None seemed interested or willing to talk, not after everything that had happened in the day so far. Moira had tried, but it didn’t avail to much. Amy and Syed were still estranged thanks to their late night marriage, and Lisette was wracked with worry for the still missing Kapi, not to mention all of their concern for Estelle and Josette’s safety. There were short, idle replies to Moira’s attempts, attempts which she eventually gave up bothering with and just tried her best to do what the others did and simply watch the building. To her credit, she had managed thirty minutes. But fuck anymore of that.
“You heard me, I’m going in. Fuck standing around here and doing fucking nothing. C’mon.” Moira repeated. She started stomping towards the Grande Diamond, until Syed rushed to grab her arm.
“Are you… are you crazy?! Didn’t you hear what Thunderhawk said earlier! We can’t just barge into there, we’d spark an international incident! Not to mention the amount of security they’ve got out there! Punching our way in won’t do anything!” Syed tried to reason. Moira stopped to turn back to her allies and returned her usual glare (which was pretty much her neutral expression by default).
“So?”
“So?! Didn’t you understand what Thunderhawk said?! If we were to just walk in, the problems this could cause for us, and the whole of the Artar Guild would be-”
“No, I heard, I’m just confused why you think I care?” Moira frowned. “If it was any one of us kidnapped and trapped inside, Estelle wouldn’t even hesitate to break in, would she?” She flicked her tongue, before wandering her gaze over the rest of her companions. “Besides, she’s our friend and Rachael’s daughter. I mean, Rachael was a bit of a bitch, but I guess that makes her family or something. And you look after family, init?”
Syed didn’t know how to respond to that. In truth, he agreed with her. It took all his will, or his power not to rush in and help Estelle as well. Anywhere else, any other situation and he would do… probably even against security forces as tough as this. But what was holding him back was logic and reason. It wasn’t as simple as Moira made it out to be. “If we were to break in, it’d probably make it worse for Estelle and Josette.” He replied more sternly.
“If we don’t break in, Tiberius will murder you.” Moira put her hand on her hip.
“Tiberius will murder us if we get break in and cause trouble and incite an international incident!” Syed retorted.
“Right, so either way you’re murdered. Might as well do it the right way, eh?”
Vayu help him.
“Guys… don’t fight.” Lisette spoke up, looking to both of the Guilders with distraught tears welling up in her eyes. “We need to stick together okay? We can’t fight amongst each other…”
Amy said nothing, as she watched the conversation. Her thoughts were on Estelle and their friends’ safety, as well as other things…
“Look, Moira. It’s barely been over an hour.” Syed continued. “I think we should… wait at least a little bit longer, shouldn’t we? The others will pull through, trust them.”
Moira just glared at him silently.
“I mean, even Don’s being patient and staying outside, even though it’s his sister who’s been kidnapped! If Don can stay calm, then I think we should-”
“Huh? Don went in ages ago, didn’t he? Why do you keep calling that weird superhero guy Don? That’s obviously
not Don. Geez.” Moira rolled her eyes, shaking her head.
“Yeah, okay, whatever. But at least he’s staying outside and-” As Syed’s head turned to look towards the masked superhero Don, time crawled to a slow stop, Syed’s eyes widening in disbelief and fright. Lisette and Amy’s followed suit, as the latter suddenly realised that along with Don, Trixie had also...
A titanic grin formed across Moira’s face.
“Man, I’m telling you. I don’t care how demeaning Lady Vasco is,” The security guard in front of the Grande Diamond’s main entrance rambled on to his partner. “Have you
seen those legs? She could punish me in the dungeons all she liked!”
“You are such a freak… Lady Vasco wouldn’t just punish you. She’d kill you. There’s no fun in being dead, you moron. Hmm?” The security’s guard brow raised as a figure slowly walked up to them. “Hey, buddy. This is private property. I’m going to have to ask you to step back. What’s the matter? Lost and looking for the Paraisos Parade or something?”
Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Ground FloorAlan’s face beamed with a proud smile as Aria offered to take over the casino’s mistake with dealers, both confidently and deftly taking a place in the dealer’s seat, shuffling a deck of cards with extreme precision and then dealing the cards out to each of the noble men and women sitting around the table. Alan lifted his drink, taking a gulpful of the refreshing liquid, as he continued to stare at Aria. Normally the other players’ attentions would be on their cards, chips or competing players. But Alan? He couldn’t keep his eyes off Aria. No, no, he had to have her accompany him back to his manor in the Artar Kingdom. He simply had to. She was too good for Dumont’s establishment, far too good.
For now, he was interested and content to play. Especially with his presumptions that with Aria as dealer, he would have all the advantage he would need against his peers.
“Shall we begin then?” Aria smiled.
The ground shook as the sound of something exploding reverberated from the lobby next door.
Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Ground Floor Lobby“What was that?!”
Noblemen and women, security guards and serving girls all scrambled to the balcony, peering over the edge to inspect the source of the racketing din that had just disturbed, as throughout the entire building, people snapped to attention with worry. Amongst them were Boris, Lucien and Dylan, who all raced to the nearest balcony to peer over with worry at the source of the calamity. There, at the very bottom, the Grande Diamond’s ground floor of the lobby, something unexpected and shocking had just occurred without warning.
The two wooden doors of the building’s entrance lay in splintered ruins across the floor in front of the rainbow water spewing fountain, two men dressed in sunglasses and suits lying motionless and unconscious atop. Smoke and dust wafted into the air, as from the broken entrance doorway emerged over a dozen shadows striding forwards. Shadows moving calmly and quietly into the Grande Diamond, trailing behind one dust enshrouded figure leading the rest. A figure who’s fist clenched tightly.
From out of nowhere, something was thrown from the top of the eight floor balcony, hurtling through the air down to the ground below like a meteor, stunning every patron inside able to witness it. The next action, a seismic shockwave that sent a nauseating tremor ricocheting throughout the whole building as the thing landed on the ground, alerted and shocked everyone else inside, no matter where they were. More dust and smoke was thrown into the air.
Resting in the massive entrenched crater it had just spawned was a suited man, rising to his feet, dusting himself off. Bartholomew Rant, the Suit Mercenary’s “Mr. Clubs”, drew up tall and large, a sadistic grin painted across his face as he looked at the intruders before him. The man had taken a leap off from the building’s eight floor and landed without a single scratch!
“About fucking time!” Bart yelled, as energy coursed and shifted through his body. Suddenly, the man's heavy weight vanished, and with surprising speed and litheness, his legs automatically propelled him forwards towards the twenty some intruders. From his suit’s sleeves emerged two metal poles the length of his forearms, gripped tightly at their handles and aimed towards the first figure’s head. Tonfas. “I was growing so fucking bored sitting around and now I get to smash some hea-
Bart’s comment was never finished as the figure lunged forwards, appearing through the smoke as a red and white blur. Something flashed briefly, before a white fist was sent flying outwards, surrounded by a pulsating red and yellow energy. Energy that connected with Bart’s face, sending him recoiling and flying backwards with impossible power, straight through the marble fountain, several other statues and finally the wall at the far end with frightening velocity.
The Meaning of Truth
From the parting smoke and dust of the building’s entrance, the onlookers inside the Grande Diamond’s lobby could finally see who, or rather what, the attacker was.
Crouched on his feet, right arm held out straight to the ground, hand pulled tight into a fist, was a man clad from head to toe in a red and white form fitting costume with a brilliant black, billowing jacket. A bright red helmet with black visor reflected the overhead lights, casting a terrific shine throughout the lobby. From the man’s right fist, dying flickers of red, orange and yellow drifted into the air above him, with smoke wafting up from his fist. The unbelievable stranger had a name. And that name was-
“OH MY APPLESANDMACARONIPIE DID YOU SEE THAT?!” Trixie shouted, as the dust parted around her too, to reveal the diminutive wondergirl standing determined at the Grande Diamond’s entrance, arms folded over her chest, the same way the rest of the nineteen men with her posed. “I mean, er, yeah.”
“WHAT THE HELL?!” Syed screamed as he and the rest of the Pride caught up. He, Amy and Lisette were at a speechless loss, whilst Moira quickly raced as far ahead as her bond could carry to pose in the same way the rest of the bros did, swiping one of their spare sunglasses as she did. “Since when did Don have fire magic?!”
“That’s not fire magic, bro.” One of the bros’ heads shook and finger wagged at him. Even though he was wearing sunglasses, the unmistakable hair made it impossible to not recognise that it was Tom.
“That… that’s manly passion.”
Crimson Justice’s body slowly rose from his crouch, his right arm lifting up, into the air, to point at the very top of the Grande Diamond’s ceiling. Specifically, at a distant security camera nestled all the way at the very top.
“What… what on Ddaear is
that?” Lord Dumont asked, his eyes transfixed at the indescribable scene broadcast for all in the room to see. Iliana, Neil, Kenneth, Selan and Marcus were all at a loss for words, seeing the image of a superhero looking slightly off camera, his finger pointed straight at them.
No matter what may happen... I will save them. Nobody hurts my sisters!!!His hand flexed and shifted, his index finger retreating to his palm and his thumb rising up, his arm twisting slightly – the point becoming a thumbs up. But before it could linger, it twisted, pointing straight downwards.
“Tear it down.”Don’s bros’ howled as one, as the security guards scrambled for their weapons and all bedlam broke out through the Grande Diamond.
