Under different circumstances

[Guest]

Lights. Hundreds of lights. Twinkling ever so brightly. Those that sense the presence of this shadow are unable to keep pace with the speed in which this shadow moves. With closed eyes, the Dragon dances through the city freely like the open skies. Light taps would be heard, but a quick turn of the head would reveal it to be nothing. She stood looking up, and with a single leap cleared several floors with inhuman power. Grasping a ledge, and hefting her body over. She would speed through the halls, and then with a single arm cause a commotion that would wake anyone around. Knocking over armor, and then the guardsman coming to check the noise. Screams would issue next, and the march of feet. The woman would move through men and capture their attention.

Another looked on as the commotion had reached peak. Her eyes traveled skyward as she looked upon the highest point. He would nest at the top. So-Sul was not inhuman, but her abilities in Alkahestry made her gifted beyond reason. She bent down and then sprang upward. Her legs and body spiraling and twisting as she ascended towards the heavens. She met the same ledge, but did not stop. Her arms swung outward, as her feet tapped the railing, she leaped again. Reaching a higher perch, but the Emperor's room was a far cry from easily accessible. Had it not been for the distraction, she might have been detected before reaching this close. Here is where parkour and Alkahestry met. She stepped backward, and looked at the balcony. It was angled such that normally, it would be unreachable, but...So-sul sprinted forward, running up the side of the palace, and her hand passing over the surface. After a few steps, she kicked forward, throwing her knee upward, which propelled her just barely clasped a hand on the bottom end of the balcony. She let out a sigh of relief, and pulled herself up. Opening the door's to the bedroom, she looked upon the Emperor. Puny thing he was. Was this what Xing was reduced to? "Are you the Emperor of Xing, that requested to see the Valkyrie of the Underworld?"

[Qin Shi Xun]

Words flowed from his pen, like water flowed from a spring. Though Qins words where far less sweet then the water, in fact he was sure they would go down rather bitter when the person the letter was destined for read it. Still not all news could be good news and he hopped his mother understood that. He thought of her then as he listened to his pen scratch over the paper, her face,her smile, her laugh. He thought of the times she had chased him through the woods, of the time she taught him to cook rice balls. He thought back over all those happy times and a smile creeped over his face. It had been a few days since the last time he had managed a true happy smile. Why was that? Was there so little joy in the world for him? Did he have nothing to smile about? The man leaned back and ran his hand through his white hair and let out a gentle sigh before he returned to his page. He wore what he had always worn while waiting for sleep. A thin flowing kung fu gi, this one was patterned with sprawling trees done in many shades of green. A sudden noise from out side startled him and his pen shifted in his hand scrawling a thick black line across the page.

He sighed again and set the now soiled piece of paper aside and calmly began to copy the text. "My guest is here it seems." He spoke to him self then as the words once again flowed from his hand, and not to much later he heard a clatter from out side his window and then suddenly a presence could be felt. He didn't look around even as she spoke. "Are you the Emperor of Xing, that requested to see the Valkyrie of the Underworld?" He didn't respond, he sat there calmly writing the figures and finally when he finished he set his pen aside and raised the paper to his lips and slowly blew on it to dry the remaining wet ink. He set it aside and then, and only then did he turn to look at the figure that had burst into his room in what was a rather rude fashion. His first thought was that she was of average height for a woman he had some how expected someone larger then life, from the rumors he had heard at least. " It is customary to knock before entering someones room."

It hurt him to speak, but over the years he had gotten used to it and now he hardly noticed the twinges of pain that came from his throat. His voice was what one could call dry, but that would be an understatement."But to answer your question, yes. I called you here" He walked past her to a small table sitting next to the window, feeling as if eyes where fallowing him the entire time and slowly poured him self a cup of tea, before taking a sip and letting a sigh of contentment pass his lips."How rude of me, would you care for a cup of tea? Its a rather relaxing blend from my home." With that sat at the table and poured her a small glass before she could answer and set it down across from him before taking another sip."Please, dont stand on my account im sure you would be more comfortable sitting down, we may have much to discus" The Dragon smiled softly and his teeth gleamed in the low light of the room.

[Guest]

" It is customary to knock before entering someones room." So-Sul smiled. She was not one of his dogs. She would not bow and lick his boot to get a treat, but still a chance to make money on this scale would not be passed up. Her hand balled into a fist, as she lightly knocked on the frame. "But to answer your question, yes. I called you here" Then what for? I hate when people are non-specific. Can you blame me for going to such lengths to ensure it's not a trap? Geez. People these days assume everyone is as good as they appear. "How rude of me, would you care for a cup of tea? Its a rather relaxing blend from my home." She looked at it. Her eyes were light, but taking in the details of the arrangement. "No, thank you" She took a couple steps inside, and looked around. No chamber maids? Interesting. Perhaps he wasn't the type. Maybe he was one of the other kind in secret. The detail of the room was awe inspiring, but could she expect less from one living in a palace? Hardly.

"Please, dont stand on my account im sure you would be more comfortable sitting down, we may have much to discus" She glided to an open chair and sat down before him. She crossed her legs, which in turn caused her skirt to pull up her thigh, exposing more skin than normally intended. "You called me way out to Xing...for what exactly? Gaia, knows I despise coming here." Her eyes traveled to the Emperor once more. "Not that there is anything wrong with the country itself...merely my history does not bode well being here." Seriously. Who sells there daughter into slavery? She would kill the Fang Clan for such a thing. Well...not so much these days. Keeping her distance served equally well. Hostility didn't breed anything except disrupting her Qi balance. Might as well hear this Emperor out, and see how deep this rabbit hole got. This wasn't quite wonderland and she definitely lacked the amount of LSD to duplicate such a place.

[Qin Shi Xun]

"You called me way out to Xing...for what exactly? Gaia, knows I despise coming here." A person who despised going to her home? Now that was interesting to say the least. Why? What could have happened? Qin just had to wonder, but that didn't show at all on his face, that remained in its usual pleasant state. She looked back to him and he kept his eyes firmly locked on hers."Not that there is anything wrong with the country itself...merely my history does not bode well being here." Interesting. He made a mental not to make sure to research this figure. He was sure something would pop up eventually."Ohh i sense a story behind that, care to share? I love a good adventure." It was true, one of his only weaknesses was a well told story. They kept his attention, and took him on a journey of epic proportions. All in all he found the experience enjoyable."If not well we can get down to business i suppose"

He sat back some and set his tea on the table before glancing out the window at the sounds that filled the night and sighed. It sounded like what ever had gone down was just now being resolved."I can assume its you who started that mess down stairs?" It wasn't really a question, but it never hurt to state the facts as they where." Ill be billing you for any damages" His smile grew a tiny bit wider as he tried to joke a little.

[Guest]

"Ohh i sense a story behind that, care to share? I love a good adventure." A story, eh? As if I would humanize myself to the point of revealing my true identity. Or perhaps he hopes that I would feel compelled to befriend him. No, he must think that I'm here socially. But he couldn't be that stupid...could he? "If not well we can get down to business i suppose" That's a bit better. Lao Jiu peered over the top of her hair, and then looked at the Emperor. He scrambled for the table, as he circled the only free cup. A couple yips later, and So-Sul poured him a cup. "Spoiled brat" she mumbled. "I can assume its you who started that mess down stairs?" So-sul smiled as the commotion died down. It seemed her accomplice had escaped, which would mean she would be joining them momentarily. "Ill be billing you for any damages"

A heavy foot landed on the balcony. Show off. A few steps later a woman entered into the room standing behind So-Sul. "I'll be happy to pay for whatever it was that was broken because of her. However, I find time is money, and you are wasting my time. What is it that you need? Information? Weapons? Supplies? I don't see you being the type to crave Illicit Drugs, but who am I to judge." Lao Jiu lapped up the tea and before he knew it was stuck face down in the cup, his tiny legs flailing in the air. So-Sul reached down and plucked the small panda from the cup and set it upon her skirt. "My lady, I do believe I should-" She was interrupted with a rise of So-Sul's hand, and a slight nod. She straightened up, and her eyes grew dull as a light passed through them several times, before becoming illuminated once again. She blinked twice and smiled at the Emperor.

[Qin Shi Xun]

A second woman found her way onto his balcony and he couldn't help but shake his head. He was going to have to address that oversight in palace security in the morning. You would think that his chambers would be better secured then this, but somethings where bound to be over looked, like women who could apparently fly. IT truly was odd an odd world they lived in, but thats what made it a world worth living in. How long had it been since he had started to speak? To long. Much much to long. But he doubted it would have any lasting effect on her, seeing as he had never spoken to her before this. He wondered how she would respond to his alkehestry, the sudden and dramatic increase of adrenaline that would suddenly be coursing through her vain's. "I'll be happy to pay for whatever it was that was broken because of her. However, I find time is money, and you are wasting my time. What is it that you need? Information? Weapons? Supplies? I don't see you being the type to crave Illicit Drugs, but who am I to judge." He could only sigh then, some people just didn't know how to take a break and enjoy a calm conversation, but not everyone had been raised among the giants of the land. So most did not understand patience.

he glanced down as a small panda managed to take a dip in the tea cup that had been set on the table before her. Now where had that little guy come from? Her sleeve maybe? It honestly didn't matter but his odd eyes where sharp and he just hated missing small things like miniature pandas. "My lady, I do believe I should-" With a raise of the women's hand the other girl stopped in mid sentence and an odd look overcame her and light flashed behind her eyes... Now that was odd. He wouldn't dwell on it right then but he filled that oddity away for a future time before he smiles back at the new woman and nods his head to a third seat. "Please take a seat if you want, i see no reason for you to stand." It hurt to speak, it had hurt to speak for years now. IT was a pain he was used to, comfortable with. It had become a part of his everyday life and everyday he greeted it like an old friend. Still some days he wished he wasn't cursed with the voice he had, the voice of the dragon, the voice of a ruler.

"As for your question well, ive called you here to offer you a job, and a long term one at that. Though it would require a certain amount of commitment on your part, and some misplaced trust on mine." His voice was rather casual for the situation, yet the undertones of his speech carried with it all the will of the dragon he was and would become.

[Guest]

A job? "Aiki. Initiate Ghost Program. Clear Water." Aiki nodded and her eyes closed once more, however, they did not open again. So-Sul looked at the Emperor this time. Her eyes searching his, but she could not see any malice in his eyes. There was one more thing. She closed her eyes, and looked on as the entire floor lit up with the Qi of those patrolling. She focused in on Emperor, and found his Qi calm. He wasn't lying, no shimmer nor ripple existed. However, it seemed his Qi was most concentrated around his throat. Peculiar. She opened her eyes slowly, as she poured herself another cup of tea. This time she drank for herself. As the cup met her lips, she closed her eyes, but did not drink quite yet. "What kind of job? I am no concubine. So what use would you have of me?" She sipped from her cup and then quickly sat it down. "As well, I have certain commitment issues of my own. Although, I will hear out your offer before I completely say no. What does this 'job' entail? What will be my benefits? What will be my payment? Or better yet, since you so eagerly long for conversation...just how do you I qualify for this job?"

All of her questions were dummy questions except for the last. She wanted to know exactly why he chose her for a job. Not that she couldn't handle it, it was just a question of why her. She had plenty of enemies and not many friends. He was inviting danger...no he was flirting with it. There was an intimate reason why she used a codename. There was a reason why she chose such a dangerous life. There was a reason why she passed through the Garden and her first thought wasn't fighting, but running. She longed to be free, and yet he was offering to tie her down. Who was this man anyway? She knew little about him at the current moment and with Aiki running interference of any wireless transmitting signals, she was useless to provide that information. For now, she would hear him out. If she didn't like it, she could run. She was confident in her legs enough to carry her away.

[Qin Shi Xun]

What kind of job? I am no concubine. So what use would you have of me?" He laughed then, a rich sound that was altogether happy if not overly so. Her his concubine? No. As of right then he had more then he could handle on his plate with out adding women to it." Ohh no what i have in mind is something far more suited towards your... Apparent skills and inclinations." He smiled as she sipped her tea then and let her finish speaking. "As well, I have certain commitment issues of my own. Although, I will hear out your offer before I completely say no. What does this 'job' entail? What will be my benefits? What will be my payment? Or better yet, since you so eagerly long for conversation...just how do you I qualify for this job?" He sighed, now those where some rather obvious question but it seemed that he needed to make a more direct approach was needed right then, and he wasn't one who liked to do that... It left you open to so many different things even when you where only speaking.

"Well, since you so generously answered my summons ill answer your questions so lets start from the top." He sets his cup down and slowly steeples his fingers in front of him. " This job, as you put it entails a long term commitment to not only me but the well fair of this nation and in that regard i would have you act as an unofficial member of my advisers but whats more well, the exact details of your duties will vary but all in all you will have the vast majority of you time to your self." He winches and puts his hand to his throat before going on. " As to the benefits well all government employees have full medical and dental" He winks and chuckles some at his won joke." But there would be many aside from that as well, even adoption into my clan if you wished. As for payment, we can work that out at a later date. As to your qualifications well, you managed to get to me here and i think that speaks well for you."

[Guest]

"Well, since you so generously answered my summons ill answer your questions so lets start from the top." She watched as he set his cup down. Uh oh, was he getting serious now? " This job, as you put it entails a long term commitment to not only me but the well fair of this nation and in that regard i would have you act as an unofficial member of my advisers but whats more well, the exact details of your duties will vary but all in all you will have the vast majority of your time to your self." Interesting. So I'm a random piece on his chest board. A wild card. I don't see a down side, and even then I'm not required to stay here. She ignored the joke as she fully thought on the benefits for her. " But there would be many aside from that as well, even adoption into my clan if you wished. As for payment, we can work that out at a later date. As to your qualifications well, you managed to get to me here and i think that speaks well for you."

"Save the adoption. I abandoned Xingese clans after my clan abandoned me. I've seen things that you would merely dream of, and even then I understand none of it. But..." She drained her cup, and set it down gently. "As for payment, I'll bill you for every job assigned based upon the difficulty or inconvenience it causes me. Also, do not contact me the way you did before. Only because I didn't want this job botched up did I come here, but normally you would be dealing with my subordinates. This is the number to call Aiki, through her, I will receive the order." Aiki blinked and then smiled, resuming life like a video un-paused. "It is nice to meet you Qin Shi Xun, Emperor of Xing." So-sul looked at Aiki and shook her head slowly. "You can be more casual. I programmed you to learn, be more receptive to my personality. It's like travelling with a mannequin some days. For Gaia's sake... anyway, now that business is dealt with. Is there anything else you wish to discuss or any assignment you need doing?"

[Shula Brighton]

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