The Black Dragon's Den

[quillpleasant]

Atya thinks for a moment, pursing her lips. "Well, they definitely have access to magic, but I don't think there's going to be anything too flashy. Most likely just trained mercenaries. If we're unlucky, there could be more dangerous individuals, maybe those who have undergone their experiments, but nothing we can't handle." Probably. The possibility of experimental super soldiers isn't exactly reassuring.

She looks rather impressed at Reinholdt's pocket dimension trick. "I'd say that's actually more useful than heavy lifting, since it hides the object. Being able to pocket what we came for and get out without any visible change could be incredibly useful." More or less depending on the size of what they're stealing, and how much money they decide to take in addition.

As the moogle backs off, Atya looks at him concernedly- then, upon realizing that it's the disappearing trick that's scared him, she turns away, coughing into her hand to hide her laughter. After a moment she looks back, face carefully stony.

"Nothing to be scared of, don't worry. But I can't promise that there won't be any magic in the iii vault, so if your phobia is too strong to overcome, then this might not be the best caper for you." Despite her amusement, she is a little doubtful of this development. If one of the guards happens to throw a fireball and Mogzoku panics, it could make things difficult for all three of them.

"And before I forget- we're talking about the fire elemental thing more later," she says to Reinholdt in a tone that brooks no argument, "I'd love to know about how that works." Clearly it's more than just idle curiosity, as she seems more genuinely excited about that than anything else that's been discussed so far.

[Reinholdt]

"Oh yeah, the experiments." Reinholdt rubs his chin in thought. Not much planning to do for those, given how unpredictable the side effects could be. Guess he could at least be ready for the immortality factor. Maybe with some boxes to put their regrowing cells in so it's harder. Or fire. That'd probably make their patron happier from what he's seen.

The stress test on Goemog doesn't seem to have come out in the moogle's favor. "A mere parlor trick. The kind stage magicians used. What if it was simply up my sleeve?" It wasn't, but if Mogzoku can't handle something this minor then... well Rein'll just have to be ready to cut the moogle loose mid heist to take the fall if it becomes necessary. "Being able to bypass alarms is super handy though." Anyone who can get around a motion sensor is worth considering taking with.

Rein just grins a little at Atya. "I'd be happy to have a very in depth discussion with you. We'll completely forget we're watching a movie." Should he be a little concerned with how fixated Atya seemed to be with fire?
...
Nah, it's probably normal for elves.

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku's pom-pom sinks at the prospect of having to sit this one out. Reinholdt's suggestion of it just being a trick earns him a glare from the moogle.

"Ahem. Well, that fear is just all the more motivation not to get caught! But, if you think it'll be such a problem, lets at least consider other options before dropping me altogether, kupo," Mogzoku speaks up with a hint of frustration present in his tone, "Fear is just a brain chemical, after all. And you're a chemist, Atya. Don't you have anything in your lab that could help with that, kupo?"

He pauses for a second before changing gears, "Pah. I guess it all depends on how much prep time we're looking at here, kupo."

[quillpleasant]

Atya is quite distracted by Reinholdt's invitation, as she gets a little glassy eyed for a moment, not reacting to Mogzoku's question at first. Then she blinks, turning to the moogle with a smile.

"Well, if you backed down at the first discouragement, I wouldn't want you anyway," she muses "And as to the chemical solution... that's actually a very interesting idea." She sips her drink thoughtfully, wheels turning in her brain.

"It would need to affect your amygdala, to suppress the adrenaline and cortisol release. I could definitely make something like that in a day or so. The issue would be that your physiology might be very different from the people I'm used to working with."

She grins wickedly. "So are you willing to take a drug that hasn't been tested on your species before? I can't guarantee its safety, but I don't think it would be lethal." In truth, she's reasonably sure she's skilled enough that the fear suppressor would work just fine, but since Mogzoku's biggest weakness seems to be nerves, she wants to test his commitment a little more.

"I'm looking to hit the iii by this time next week, so we'll have more than enough time to prep, even accounting for making the drug."

[Reinholdt]

A sheepish shrug is given in return to Mogzoku's glare. Reinholdt tried at least and thought it could have been a semi-believable lie the moogle could tell itself if it needed to.

Instead Mogzoku gets a better idea and Rein raises his eyebrows and nods in approval. If doctors can make drugs that cure diseases, why can't chemists make drugs that cure fear? However temporary.

"That's more time than I usually get. How generous." Reinholdt may case the joint on his own time in a disguise surely no one can link back him. "Are we going to attempt to sleaze our way in and rob them right under their noses or we going full stealth in a box, let no one see we're coming, let no one see us leave?"

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku seems slightly amused by the prospect of the drug being unsafe. "Well, i'm not afraid of drugs, kupo. Unless its like, cocaine or something." He breathes a bit more heavily as he floats in place, pulling the stool back a few feet from the tinderbox and standing atop it, catching his breath. "Yeah, I'm pretty confidant this is a good idea. I'll take your drug, kupo."

[quillpleasant]

The moogle's willingness to try her experimental anti-fear drug is admittedly a little impressive. Atya blinks, then chuckles. "If a little blow is scary, then you wouldn't like my house parties. But hey, you're pretty brave for someone who needs a fear drug." That's a... compliment? Maybe?

Turning to Reinholdt, Atya taps her fingers on the edge of the bar. These are good questions. Questions she definitely knows the answers for. "Well, I was waiting to decide on the specifics of the plan until I knew who I'd be partnering with. But now..." A plan is developing. Atya uses her cigarette to draw a crude blueprint in the ashtray as she talks.

"The reason I chose the date I did is that there's a major supply delivery happening then, so security will be focused on that. Based on your skill set, I think bluffing is a good option. We'll hijack one of the supply trucks, talk our way in, and then break away from the unloading stations and hide out. Goemog can head through the air ducts to access the security station and open the way to the vault for us, we'll crack it, get the stuff, and then get out." The end of that seems like it might need a little more thought, but there's time to refine it.

"Hopefully resistance will be minimal, but if necessary we can either sneak past or disable anyone we encounter. Should be easy, right?" She's acting almost a little too confident, which poorly covers the fact that she's a little nervous about this heist. But hey, that's what alcohol is for.

[Reinholdt]

"Seems like a good plan to me," Reinholdt says, quasi glancing at the blueprint of ash while leaning away from the stench. "Do we know what's being delivered? We could probably hide Goemog in one of the crates or barrels as we unload and smuggle him in that way." It would be harder to pass him off as someone responsible for the heavy manual labor that's usually a part of supply delivery.

"You any good at cracking safes?" Rein asks Atya, trying to get a feel for what some of her strengths are in return. Burning through with acid is always an option, but that tends to take time.

[[brackets lover]]

"Maybe not so easy, but nothing we can't handle, kupo." He pumps one fist up encouragingly. "One week. Got it."

He smiles suddenly, continuing, "Hey, maybe if the drug works, I could bring some magic with me too, kupo!"

[quillpleasant]

Atya seems pleased that her compatriots approve of the plan. Usually she's more of the 'make it up as you go' kind of person, so it's nice that when she puts her mind to it she can create something workable.

"It's a shipment of medical supplies, so lots of drugs, chemicals, probably a lot of refrigerated stuff. There'll totally be boxes that can fit this guy." And putting Mogzoku in a box is a very funny mental image, even if she's not saying that out loud.

Speaking of, she raises an eyebrow at the moogle. "Sure, that couldn't hurt. Bring whatever magic or supplies you want, as long as it's not loud or heavy." She's assuming he means magic items- unless he can actually do magic despite his phobia.

"As for the safe, leave it to me. Demolitions is my specialty- ten feet of solid steel is child's play. And don't worry about the noise either, I can be quiet- when I need to be." She winks at Reinholdt.

"So it's settled- we'll take the next few days to prepare, then meet back here the morning before to go over supplies. We'll make our way to Skyside, stake out the iii building, and then put the plan into motion." She grins widely at the both of them. "Trust me, you're not going to regret this."

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt tilts his head a little at Goemog's potential to bring magic, not entirely sure what he means, but feeling like the offer has some ominous overtones that suggest maybe anything but was a good idea. Hopefully he knew what he was doing.

It seems Atya was holding a trick or two herself. Quiet demolitions, huh? Rein would have to do this run just to see how that works in the first place. He grins back at her. "Well if you can handle a safe quietly, I'd love to hear at your loudest."

Right, things were simple enough. Rein would talk them in, Mogzoku would guide them through security, and Atya would handle the safe. Reinholdt stands up. "Right then. I'll go talk to my tailor about getting some proper delivery clothes." Rein slips Atya a piece of paper with a number on it. "Call me if anything comes up. But especially if anything doesn't." Unless there's something else to discuss, Rein will give Mogzoku a little half-salute and head out to get ready for the heist.

[[brackets lover]]

"I got a good feeling about this, kupo." The moogle returns Atya's grin with a cheery smile, guilessly tilting his head to the side. Reinholdt, however, causes this smile to fall into a groan of sheer annoyance.

With seemingly nothing left to be said, the Moogle begins to head back to his bangaa friend, waiting for a good opportunity before he can non-conspicuously leave the bar and slip into a good hiding spot to swap back to his civilian guise.

[quillpleasant]

Atya makes a show of studying Rienholdt's number, then tucks it away with a grin. "I look forward to it." She waves as both he and Mogzoku depart.

"See you soon, my friends!" she calls after them, then grimaces at her choice of words. Turning back to the bar, she flags down the bartender once again. "Keep the poison shots coming, you'll get a double tip if I never have to wait between glasses." She hunches over, ready for a long night of brooding over her plans until she eventually passes out.

[Earl of Purple]

Somebody new enters! He wears pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with holes in it. He's barefoot, with tanned skin and bright green eyes; he appears to be human, and reasonably attractive as well. He'll stumble to a table and sit down rather roughly.

[quillpleasant]

The last time Atya came in here, she had been desperately searching for some useful rubes that she could use to help commit a heist. She hadn't expected to be coming back in such high spirits, nor with the intent of celebrating with her compatriots. In fact, she hadn't really expected to succeed at all.

Gone is her adventuring garb, which was so riddled with bullet holes that she'd had to throw it out. Now, she's wearing an elegant semi-sheer off the shoulder dress the color of peridot, matching her eyes perfectly. A gold armband offers a touch of asymmetry and opulence. She carries a gold trimmed white leather handbag with- yeah that's a claw hammer sticking out of it.

Some things never change.

Unlike last time, she's not alone. A hulking monster follows just behind- a gorilla-like body structure with grey elephantine skin, long black claws, and a single huge yellow eye. Atya's roommate, Daisy, has decided to tag along- partially for fun, and partially in case iii retaliates sooner rather than later.

With a wave of greeting at the bartender, Atya heads over to a large private booth in the back- already reserved, and large enough to accommodate Daisy. Sliding in, the elf peruses the drink menu while she waits for her friends to arrive.

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt arrives a little later. He's wearing his usual leather pants and leather jacket, both a little too tight. Dangling from his neck via a silver chain is a pendant. A multi-colored stone carved in the shape of a rose. He couldn't wear it during a high stakes heist, because it would be too easy to lose or get grabbed in a heated moment. No such problems here though.

Heading over to the private back booth, Reinholdt slides in beside Atya, peering at the menu in her hands. "Anything good?" It's a pointless question. Rein's had most every drink on the menu by now. He gives his attention to Daisy with a smile and a nod. "Good to see you again Daisy." He didn't think she was the type to get out and about, but this was a special situation.

[[brackets lover]]

Last to arrive is Mogzoku, dressed in a plain leather tunic befitting his medieval fantasy place of origin. As Reinholdt immediately states conversations with the only two people in the room, Mogzoku jealously narrows his eyes, remaining silent as it would be rude to interrupt.

[quillpleasant]

Atya beams at Reinholdt as he sits down, and noting his necklace, her smile widens and she glances away, pleased. "Hey you! You know, I was thinking of avoiding the specialty drinks this time. Might just get some rum." It's a bit of a minefield picking anything that isn't self destructive or hallucinogenic here.

Daisy gives a grunt of greeting. She is, as usual, impossible to read, but she seems a little less unfriendly somehow.

Mogzoku's arrival prompts a happy wave from Atya. "Glad you could make it! Were you able to pawn those jewels?" He may have just stashed them, but time, as always, is a little fluid here.

[Reinholdt]

"Rum is the best go to drink of all time." A pirate taught Reinholdt as much anyways. He doesn't hesitate to order a set of four rums.

"I hear you Daisy." Reinholdt doesn't understand her, but he hears her!

Reinholdt nods in friendly and slightly naive manner towards Mogzoku. "Goemog. A pleasure. Hope you're ready to lose in a drinking contest. Or card contest. Or stripping contest. Whatever it is we're supposed to do when celebrating." Reinholdt's had heists before, successful many a time. He's just never gone out of his way to celebrate one before.

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku tilts his head at Atya, chuckling at her comment. "Haha! Nope. The heist did just happen earlier today, after all. Did our timelines get de-synced or something, kupo?"

Noticing the naive way Reinholdt nods, Mogzoku internally suspects that's an act to make them seem less suspicious and returns the same energy, giving a meek wave in response. "Well I wouldn't lose in a stripping contest! Moogle clothes are surprisingly easy to get off, kupo."

[quillpleasant]

Atya gives an overly dramatic shrug at Mogzoku's question. "I don't know, I try to fence stuff pretty quickly. I guess I don't actually know what you all took." Since Reinholdt brought out the B32, Atya technically didn't even take anything from the vault. Which makes her blameless!

As the rum is served, Atya takes a quick drink, then leans back with a sigh. "I'd suggest all three contests at once, but we know that I'd beat all of you with no problem." Well, at the drinking, at least. Being immune to poison helps with that.

"And the idea of a stripping contest is to make everyone else take their clothes off, so sounds like you would actually lose," she teases Mogzoku, "But it's moot because I don't want to get kicked out of here, at least not this early." A beat. "Oh yeah, Goemog, meet Daisy. My roommate, and fellow iii survivor. She's met Reinholdt already, they're besties."

The beast that is Daisy rolls her eye to look at Reinholdt, and then bears her teeth in an approximation of a grin. Besties it is.

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt couldn't be less suspicious if he tried! Because he has tried, and failed, several times. He'll always be sus.

"Of course you would..." Reinholdt lightly shoulders Atya with a competitive smile. But she has a point about not being thrown out of here. This was Rein's favorite bar after all. Even if he hadn't seen the owner around in a while now.

He tries not to grimace as Daisy's attention falls upon him. "Besties. Yaaaay..." Reinholdt's grin is a little shakier, possibly because he knows if he ever hurts Atya, it's Daisy he has to worry about.

A thought strikes him and he addresses Mogzoku once more. "Why do you wear clothes when you have fur?" It seems like fur is the best excuse to be naked. Not that you need an excuse.

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku raises an eyebrow at Atya, seemingly confused. "What? No, that would be a strip game. Big difference there, kupo."

And now he's introduced to Daisy, returning a courteous smile. "Nice to meet you, kupo!"

Reinholdt brings up an important point, to which Mogzoku answers, "Where I come from, people are nearly always dressed based on their job. And it also goes some way to stop people from recognizing me. Which I suppose isn't necessary here, kupo." Without a second thought, Mogzoku removes his tunic and stuffs it into his bag, his look now befitting that of a fantasy creature as opposed to that of a civilized person. Something wearing a shirt really does make them seem more person-like.

[quillpleasant]

Atya shoulders Reinholdt right back, more out of principle than a desire to compete. "You know, I'm actually pretty trash at cards. I tend to go all in even when I shouldn't, and the moment someone calls me, I'm ruined." She's lost more money than she'd ever care to admit that way.

Daisy peers down at Mogzoku. Normal humans are small enough to her, so the moogle seems absolutely miniscule. Still, she slowly raises a claw in greeting before turning her attention to the glass of rum in front of her. Delicately picking it up between two fingers, she lifts it to her mouth and eats it, thoughtfully crunching up the glass. Perhaps Reinholdt's trepidation is warranted.

Meanwhile, Atya is giggling at Mogzoku's disrobing. "Well I guess that means you've already lost. Or won. Whatever works." She turns to Reinholdt, fluttering her eyelashes. "Your turn, Ri Ri," she jokes, hiding her grin behind her glass.

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt tilts his head a little considering Mogzoku's culture and maybe averting his eyes a little. "Huh. Well, I guess dress for the job you want has a slightly different meaning there." Reinholdt sort of dresses for his job. Adventurer has a strange and varied dress code though.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Reinholdt replies to Atya. Atya definitely seems the type to be all bluster, whether she had anything to back it up or not. In card games too.

"R- Ri Ri?!" Reinholdt protests, growing a redder in the cheeks as the seconds pass by. "I-I'm not taking anything off after you all took my rum! Those were all for me." Rein hmphs! and accepts his consolation prize of only a single rum, taking a drink to hide his shame.

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku smiles at the back and forth between Reinholdt and Atya, though notably the moogle didn't take a rum himself, so that'd be two for Reinholdt.

As Daisy seems to be enjoying her drink, Mogzoku grins at her and flirts, "Those are some awfully strong teeth! I bet you can chew me up like a kupo nut."

[quillpleasant]

Atya breaks into laughter at Reinholdt's protests. "I wouldn't tease you so much if you didn't make it so fun," she chides, sticking her tongue out. She peers over to the bar.

"Heyo! Make sure there's a constant flow of rum to this table and you'll get tipped double what we drink," she calls out, before playfully leaning over to grab Reinholdt's arm.

"Alright, Rein, is that better?" she asks, her face the picture of innocence.

Meanwhile, Daisy squints at Mogzoku. She has absolutely no clue he's trying to flirt- even if that was something she thought about, the weirdness of the line would have confused her. So, taking him at face value, she bears her teeth, rows of ivory railroad spikes, and nods. She absolutely could chew him up- and the same could be said for everyone else in the bar.

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt's attempts at pouting break quickly to reveal the facade. "Alright alright. Good enough. I suppose." Knocking back a swig of that rum certainly doesn't hurt. Atya better be prepared to tip her entire mansion away though!

"What's a kupo nut? Some sort of delicacy from where you're from?" Rein asks Mogzoku, not realizing the moogle's flirting with Daisy. Or that Daisy's flirting back. Phew, what a hot move by Daisy.

[[brackets lover]]

Mogzoku looks back to Rein out of the corner of his eye and responds, "Oh, its just a type of nut, kupo."

Mogzoku scratches the back of his head, finally deciding to take a glass of rum for himself. He pulls a pipette out, drawing a single drop of rum from the glass and opening his mouth, squirting the drop in and swallowing it. He yawned and mumbled incoherently, now incredibly drunk.

[quillpleasant]

Atya grins, giving Reinholdt's arm another squeeze before releasing him so she can take another swig of her own. The best use of money is treating your friends, so she's more than happy to continue doing so.

Not that Mogzoku will need much more. The elf watches incredulously as the single drop renders him a complete mess, and she giggles again. She can't help it, the little woodland thief makes her laugh. "Take it easy there tiger, leave some for the rest of us!" As amusing as it is, having a physiology that makes inebriation that easy seems like one of those 'fates worse than death' that everyone talks about.

However, Atya's good mood sours slightly as she remembers something. "Oh yeah, before we all get too wasted, I wanted to, well, apologize for something." Rummaging in her satchel, she pulls out a strange handheld device, a glass sphere containing an electrical coil and an advanced looking battery.

"So... I may have forgotten that part of our plan was to use this EMP bomb to scramble iii's computers. I guess I was a little out of it by the end what with getting all shot up, but... yeah. It's highly likely they'll have recorded our likenesses, and once they've secured the facility they'll probably start sending elite kill squads to hunt us down." She gives a confident smile. "But don't worry. There's nothing they can send at us that we can't handle, and I've got your backs. I still owe you guys big time."