RP:A Leisurely Stroll

Part of the Once Upon a Midnight Dreary Arc

Summary: Just a bunch of well behaved ladies out for a late night walk.

SoulsKin

Meri :: For those in the know of Meri’s past, it should not come as a shocker that Meri has selected SoulsKin as the initial meeting point for this information digging mission. The decision to meet here will not be hindering business as usual for this place, for Meri has requested that everyone meet here well past closing. It’s just one of the perks of having a key the place that Lita would never take it away. The tattooed blonde was always welcome here. While the ladies would have the cover of darkness for whatever escapades Meri was about to have them embark in, Rynvale’s harbor was far from entirely silent. Sailors would be traveling between their ships and the bars for a good portion of the night, at least until they shut down for the night...Which, in a place like Rynvale. Did the bars ever close or the people ever sleep? Probably not, it’s one of the things that Meri appreciated about the place...but tonight this detail would not work in their favor. When her comrades for this mission arrive at the tattoo parlor, they will find the door is unlocked and Meri waiting for them, dressed like she would be for your average night out on the town in Rynvale. That is to say, she is wearing her usual black pants and a corset gettup, with no weapon in sight. Meri was not frankly intending on using violence tonight...but, well, she had her ways should things turn sour.

Khitti || Meeting? At night? Normally, this was fine for Khitti. But, that was before she had a literal giant shadowy thing stalking her lately. She’d get to town when it was still light out, choosing to just sort of… lurk at the docks where there were more people. When it was time for the meeting, she’d throw on the hood of her knitted duster and headed as quickly as possible to Meri’s former workplace as quickly as she could, hoping that maybe the thing wasn’t there? And if it was, that maybe it wouldn’t see her? Never mind the fact that it knew who she was because of her magic. Khitti tried not to think about that. She’d continue to look over her shoulder occasionally until she got in the door and then promptly stepped away from the door and looked out the window. Nothing? Nada? Okay. That’s good. Hopefully. Khitti sighed somewhat, shook her head, and offered a nod to her sister. “Being in here reminds me that I should ask you at some point to work on the other sleeve,” she said, waving her almost-bare right arm around a bit. It had that fiery nautical star, of course, but it needed some sort of fire creature to mirror the mermaid on the other arm. The redhead too appeared to be casually dressed, in her usual sleeveless, knee-length dress (this one was black with a purple plaid print on it), black leggings, and her worn black boots. Thankfully for Meri, she thought to leave her weapons at home, as well.

Rilla may not have been in the know, but she was plenty familiar with Rynvale. The streets were familiar, she was different. Being summoned was growing more and more regular, tonight was no exception. She slunk into the shop, there really was no ‘dressing up’ for Rilla these days, but with the vagueness of the message she hadn’t known what exactly to prepare for. Black leather leggings disappeared into scuffed black boots that were laced up to the ankle. If she owned another colour Rilla rarely wore it. At least this time she’d hidden all of her weapons instead of just some. Arms crossed over her chest, one finger hooked underneath the leather strap around her rib cage that held them. Auburn curls fell down her back and around her face, her eyes were painted dark to match her mood. “What am I doing in a tattoo shop?” Rilla questioned, leaning against a table with one hand flattened against it. “I like you well enough, but I’m not getting matching ink.” Rose-tinted lips pulled into a grin, flashed it at her companions. “And if we’re going out on the town I’m going to need to pre-drink.”

Penelope got the message. Navigating Rynvale, however was another story for the healer. Eyes only recognized the outline of the island when sailing across rocky seas—not the interior of the island. With a tap of a random sailor shoulder, and a faint signal from nature, the druid was able to find the tattoo shop that Meri requested the crew meet at. “Abandon hope. Lovely.” It was dry sarcasm, but also a faint comment that had no worry in it. Just a humorous observation. Nel had never actually been to SoulsKin. Surprising since, well, the healer had multiple tattoos on her arms covering up old scars. Either way, she makes it, she walks in, and she locates the crew while draped in casual black leather pants, black boots, and some flowy, off-shoulder blouse. It was the black edgy pants club. Was Rynvale edgy? Were black pants edgy? No. No black pants were black pants. Oh, there was also a small, casual; black leather bag that wrapped around her torso to fit some little medical gadgets. One would never know what one would need in a time of need. She walks in at the time of Rilla’s “pre-drink” comment. “Pre-drinking sounds killer. Literally. No one needs to carry me home.” The comment was all in good humor as a smile plays on her lips as well. “Hey, by the way, nice gig. Long time.” Long time with each of them, really.

Meri :: For Khitti, there would be a wink of acknowledgement at the tattoo request the blonde just received. They could work out those details later. The tattooed blonde issues a smirk at Rilla’s entrance, but most of what the vampire would like to know…? Meri is about to get to. Meri can only assume that everyone here already knows one another, she was getting a sense of familiarity between some people. But! Just in case, she points to the individual as she speaks their name, “Khitti. Rilla. Penelope.” Yes. She even points to herself. “Meri.” Cue a wink from the blonde as red lips turn up into a sassy smirk. “Glad we’re all friends now. However, hate to spoil the fun, for a change I am not here to encourage excessive drinking.” While Meri might be the newest member of the Syndicate, she is indeed already familiar with everyone in the room, some of them more than others.

Meri :: “I know I didn’t give very many details in my letter...But we’re here because we’ve got work to do. And a lack of information is going to be the theme for this mission, because we don’t really have much to work off of. Just a few rumors, but I think if we are clever we can turn those rumors into some solid leads.” There is a brief pause, with Meri settling into a seat on the front counter before she continues on. “So what we know is that we’ve got slave traders moving people through Rynvale. However they are doing so through enchanted means. A saddle. What we don’t know is what ship might be doing it or the names of any of the crew involved. Given that we are dealing with slave traders, we are more than likely not going to get too many answers out of anyone who might know. Lest they be labeled a snitch and wind up with a slit throat, eh? Plus, it can take time to build that sort of rapport. The more time we put into getting answers, the more people get sold.” The blonde takes in a breath before declaring, “So, what I am thinking we’ll do is break into the Harbormaster’s office. What I am hoping is that because these slave traders care enough to use a saddle to hide their activities, maybe they’re putting up a front of honesty. Maybe your average merchants. And if they do? Then the Harbormaster probably has dealt with them, and therefore there might be a record of which ships are bringing horses into Rynvale. Now before you go asking why we can’t just ask the Harbormaster? Simple. If I were a slave trader, I would want that person on my side and I would be willing to pay a lot to get it. Who knows how long it would take to determine that, and again, time is not exactly on our side with this one...”

Meri doesn’t give anyone much of a chance to interject, she seems quite intent on finishing her thought process with this. Based on her wording though, and end to her ramblings will soon find an end. Another smirk is soon pulling at her lips, “I am thinking that it would be fun if...Rilla and Penelope were the ones to go into the office after the logs, or his manifest. The thing is though, his fancy little back probably shouldn’t disappear. So, you two are going to have to get in, see if we can’t find some useful information, and get out without making it seem like anyone was rummaging through anything.” Meri shifts her gaze to Khitti, “Khitti and I will take the watch, run any interference or create distractions as needed.” With a lift of a brow, Meri ends her spewing of information with, “Comments? Questions? Rude remarks?”

Khitti eyed both Rilla and Penelope briefly. She knew them, of course, but she didn’t really -know- them. She had had a few talks with Rilla before the mission to the archipelago, but it’d been a couple months since then. It was essentially the same with Penelope as well, albeit about things pertaining to Emilia’s disappearance some months ago. Her olive-green line of sight eventually shifted back to Meri, the blonde getting the bulk of Khitti’s attention as the redhead shifted her standing position a little so she could occasionally peer outside. There was the occasional moving shadow, but it always ended up being some random person wandering the street, usually drunk. “Sounds like a good plan to me,” she said at length when Meri was finished.

Rilla ’s gaze shifted to Penelope when she entered, settled on her hesitantly. They’d only met maybe one or two other times (if that), but they’d worked together until the very end in a version of her life. Somehow it didn’t clarify her feelings on the healer, and trust was earned. She bit her tongue and her eyes fell to her shoes as she toed the ground. Meri’s story caught her interest and she pushed her hair back with one hand as she looked up at the blonde. Her brow furrowed as Meri spoke, and she nodded her understanding along the way. Rilla laughed when she was volunteered for the job, shaking her head in amusement though her jaw tightened. “I’d guess they’ve renovated since I was in there last, better check it out, huh?” She shrugged, her black jacket hung open around her slender form. Rilla buried her hands in the pockets, pulling it shut around her as she looked back to the healer. “I can pick the lock, or if there’s a window I’m pretty great at getting into tight places and you can walk in the front door.” She offered with raised brows and a slight smile. “I’m game if you are.” Who was she to turn down a simple breaking and entering; the real bread and butter of being successful as a rogue.

Penelope gives a nod to each person. All familiar, yet more in the vague sense. Meri probably the one the woman knew most, but still, Nel was in her own little world most of the time. Wow, she really needed to get out more to socialize rather than clinical-warrior-disastrous talk. Was this what life was going to be like from now on? Wicked adventures? It was a thought she had to get used to. The Syndicate. One might of thought Nel stuck out like a sore thumb. A strange choice for the Ardelian, but one that would give the healer a chance for practice and to look out for others while them doing the same. Now, was to do the same. Work together. Moss eyes stare at Meri as she goes on and on about slave trading and how Rilla and ‘herself’—did she just say ‘Penelope’?—rummage through an office? Well, it was for the greater good, right? Right. Also, at least she would be with Rilla, right? Rilla seemed well-trained? Well, the two hardly knew each other so it was really just a guess. But future Rilla and future Penelope had been close, it seemed. All these internal thoughts cross her mind before the chance to say something. Though, she really could not manage to backfire Meri’s proposal, “I’m good as long as you seem confident enough in us. Also, not to brag, but I’m known to be pretty quick on my feet and good with a study, so I guess both work for the job.” It was easy to trust Meri. Even if all of them thought they could do it, why not? Penelope had officially been growing backbone.

Port Authority

Meri was not aware of Khitti’s current shadow woes, or else she might have rethought her approach of tonight’s mission. The blonde continues on, oblivious. “Oh, I am plenty confident. But I’ve got you’re back. Don’t worry. This ain’t my first rodeo, won’t be my last either.” Out of the tattoo parlor and down to the docks Meri the team goes, except Meri seems quite intent on making sure they are not traveling in an obviously together manner...Even if they are all headed to the same destination. Khitti is ushered out the door first, then Rilla and Nel are next after Khitti has traveled a few paces ahead of them. Meri is the last to exit the parlor. From this point on Meri is operating under the assumption that everyone understands their role. Khitti is to find a place within sight of the Harbormaster’s office to post up to stand watch, while Rilla and Nel...are meant to get inside of the building to sleuth for the information that they are in need of. Meri’s role was obviously the same as Khitti’s, but she does not come to a halt anywhere near her redheaded sister. Meri instead pushes up onto the railing of the docks and pulls out her sketchbook, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. Seeing Meri posted up somewhere with a sketchbook was not an abnormal sight, even if it was dark out. Look, artists can get their inspiration at all sorts of odd hours, did they not? The telekinetically inclined woman has picked a place that gives her a pretty clean view of the front door of the Habormaster’s office. She wanted to make sure that Rilla and Nel would actually be able to pick that lock...Well, she was actually more specifically curious if Rilla could.

Meri :: The Harbormaster’s office has been constructed about halfway down the wide docks, built right in the center of all of the hustle and bustle. The docks were definitely not dead silent, but it was quieter at this hour than it was during day time hours. A sailor might be meandering from bar to ship or vice versa every fifteen to twenty minutes, though the timing of that is not consistent. This is a detail that would not work to the advantage of RIlla and Nel. But…! The upside was, once they actually got into the Harbormaster’s office? There was not much in the way of windows, any seasoned seafarer knew that all it would take is one nasty storm and all of those glass windows would be shattered. It was just not a wise idea. This meant that once Rilla and Nel did manage to get inside, they would be able to move unhindered. When and if they get into the office, they will be greeted with….an office that was clearly run by someone who was very overly neat and orderly. Everything has a designated space, something that Rilla and Nel are going to have to pay careful attention while they search for the various manifests containing the details of incoming ships and their cargo. The tidy nature of this space would mean that Rilla and Nel would be able to find the logs easily. They were in the desk of course! But would they be able to paw through them fast enough to obtain the enough they wanted? And then put it back? And get out?

Khitti took a deep breath and headed out into the darkness, more or less leading the way to the Harbormaster’s office. But, when she got close, she’d slip into an alley nearby. From there, she could see Meri clearly, as well as the door to the building. Though it was probably a bad idea for Khitti to do so, if only because of The Thing™ that stalked her, she called upon the shadows within the alley and nearby out on the main street and pulled them to her, further keeping her from sight, and hopefully giving her the opportunity for an ambush if it was needed. Her line of sight shifted between the office, the Meri, and the street itself, the redhead doing her best to keep an eye on nearly everything, as it was likely easier for her than it was Meri to do so.

Rilla rolled her eyes at the pacing but went along with it all the same. Waiting her turn was almost silly, once out the door Rilla moved into shadows, the hood of her jacket pulled up over auburn hair, casting her face into darkness. She moved silently, eyeing the building. It was still as practical as she remembered it, a slight smile curved her lips. Meters away she paused, watching the harbour and waiting for Penelope to catch up. What did she have to pick a lock? Shifting her weight as she considered, Rilla settled on a set of picks off of the belt around her waist and shoulder. Palming them, she turned to her partner and took a breath. “Wait here,” Rilla breathed, crystalline gaze fixed on the healer, “20 seconds and follow.” She waited for a beat, nodded and offered her best encouraging smile. There wasn’t time to waste hanging around, Rilla surveyed the shipyard before she stepped out of the shadows to the door, hands buried in her pockets the whole time (which was not very long, vampire speed and all). Crouching before the door she produced the two thin picks, she preferred them for other purposes but in the absence of a proper kit, they would do. The first was inserted, gentle pressure on the plug. The second was inserted at the top of the lock, and she began to scrub the pins into place, repeat as necessary until the lock licks and Rilla slipped into the darkened office, fully expecting Penelope behind her any second now.

Penelope moves on gesture. Nel is in no rush. If anything, she looks like a traveler from a night of the bars. As she approaches Rilla towards the Harbormaster building, she gives off a nod of understanding. There were no windows. “Hm.” Made sense. Nasty sea winds and all. The girl did not have to say much, instead she looks off to keep watch as she counts in her head at Rilla’s demand. She trusted Rilla before in the… future? She could do it again. There was an unknown… confirmation between the two it seemed. No nerves struck the Ardelian, she just acted as if she was searching her bag for something. All that was in there was medical supplies, anyway. Once she counts, she moves forth towards the building that was now opened. Walking into the dark shadows of the office quietly past Rilla. No movement was detected yet, so the woman magically lights a faint flame from her palm away from the door to avoid anyone from the outside. The flame shadows her face and lights a faint hue to light up the organized room. “Any drawers or cabinets, search. Choose wisely. We don’t have a lot of time.” Her voice is gentle and reassuring, but also confident. Automatically, first initiative would be to search the desk since that is where the Harbormaster worked right? One hand held the feigned flame in one hand which had Nel inhaling deeply through her nose to focus while the other hand began to open a drawer to find quills, charcoal, and ink. Next drawer it looked like.

Meri :: As on guard as both Khitti and Meri were, neither probably thought to consider what was about to happen next. There is a shout that comes from one of the ships, belonging to a rather drunken Captain who could barely even speak coherently. “Ooooooooi!” At first the general population probably would not have thought much of some drunk shouting at the top of their lungs. This was not out of place in Rynvale, but it continues. “Oiiiiii, I seen ya.” There is some garble that is almost impossible to make out before the Captain manages a decently coherent, “I know yer in there ya cheat!” The Captain and his shouting would continue to grow closer to the current scene of the crime. Except, he was a little mistaken in what he thinks he saw. He’s presuming that the Harbormaster must be inside, “entertaining” both Rilla and Nel. It doesn’t matter that he might be interrupting, this drunkard has a bone to pick with the Harbormaster...who isn’t even home. If he had his way, he would soon be pounding on the office door. Given the positions that Khitti and Meri have taken up, the drunk causing the ruckus would end up traveling past Meri first. Needless to say, Meri hops to her feet and attempts to stop the man before he is able to make it to the door. She does this by attempting to grab at the drunk Captain’s arm. Now, Meri might be fairly easy on the eyes, but this is not enough for the Captain to take kindly to her attempts to stop him. His arm is wrenched away while he spits out an angry, “Piss off, don’t want no whore tonight.” And soon…! He’ll be bonding on the front door, making more of a scene. Meri tried to deal with things nicely, but...if Khitti knows her sister? The blonde is probably pretty close to losing her temper. The two women would have to deal with this drunk before he pulls attention their way…

Meri :: As for what Rilla and Nel are dealing with inside of the Harbormaster’s office? If they are able to not let the current shouting and pounding on the door rattle their nerves too much…? Nel was on the right track. It might not have been in the first drawer, but if they kept at it...they would locate it! This is what the cargo manifests would tell them: Meri was not entirely misplaced in her thinking. There was indeed record of ships a very select number of ships moving through Rynvale that report livestock as their cargo. There was the Wind Raider, that one did not seem to move through Rynvale with any sort of set pattern, and if the records were accurate then the Captain of this ship seemed to be named Derek. Then there was the Golden Rose, which seemed to move through Rynvale about once a month. The Captain of this ship seemed to be named Morgan (sorry, not sorry), but if you are imagining a jolly old pirate who has a penchant for spiced rum? That would be a mistake, the ladies will learn this in due time. How much Rilla and Nel are able to discern out of this is entirely on them, there is quite a commotion going on outside right now!

Oh Khitti was well aware of Meri’s temper, but Khitti had quite an anger problem herself--and she doesn’t take kindly to people calling her sister a whore. While Meri’s got his arm, Khitti shadowstepped her way to another bit of shadows nearer to her sister. Six wispy tendrils of Khitti’s dark magic filtered out of her temporary hiding spot and headed towards the drunk Captain. Two snaked around his ankles, while two more grabbed his wrists, another much larger one wrapped around his torso, and the last one? It wrapped itself around his face, covering his mouth to stifle anymore shouting. Khitti grinned somewhat at Meri when she was finished. “You can let him go now,” she whispered. And when Meri did? The black shadowy tendrils would reel the Captain in like a rather surly fish--well, it was clear he drank like a fish anyway. The tendrils would separate themselves from the rest of the magic Khitti used to keep the shadows close to her, now acting like rope to keep the Captain secure. If he tried to squirm and get away, she’d give him a swift kick in the head to knock him out. Khitti wouldn’t return to her former position, instead choosing to stay put for the moment. It was only a matter of time before the Captain’s crew came looking for his drunk ass…

Rilla pulled her hood down and grinned at Penelope once the flame was lit and she was inside. She locked the door behind them and bolted it shut and nodded. If they’d been spotted at least they could barricade inside. From there who knows, not all plans had to be thought all the way through. In her time where would this have been kept? She produced a stone from within a soft leather pouch, the ruby glowed weakly. Her brow furrowed, but she went to look all the same. “Good thinking.” Rilla agreed and began to open drawers on the other side of the desk, flipping through what initially made her recoil. “That’s his spank bank.” She laughed, shutting the drawer and moving on to the one above. Folders, papers, manifests but dated in the past. Rilla cursed, steadying herself and continuing to thumb through, checking dates more than anything. “I’ve got some.” She mumbled, “but he’s got them chronologically.” Rilla turned the one she suspected upright so that it stuck out of the other files, continuing to parse through looking for dates and animals. “Any luck there?” Rilla didn’t look up, just kept thumbing through and listening to the harbour and the now-ended commotion. “I got some ship called the Wind Raider, but just once so far and some ship called Golden Rose twice so far. I’m betting he keeps the more recent ones on your side.”

Penelope :: There was an ease that washed over her. If anyone knew Penelope Halifax, she took her time. Okay, wait, was that captain hollering at them? Okay, well, maybe Penelope Halifax picked up the speed while gentle to place anything back properly. “This person is… a Penelope,” the girl admits as she rifles through another drawer. “Anything that is out of place, he’ll know. Even unconsciously.” The woman knows, every desk “décor” is angled a specific way. Every paper organized as Rilla observes. She rummages through the logs of one drawer carefully; licking her finger one by one to sort through the parchment quicker while Rilla rummages through another drawer. The healer was a quick study… it takes papers about cargo full of heavy liquor, cargo full of dried goods… she keeps thumbing until Rilla talks about her find. “I’ve got dried goods, silks, liquor... and… the Wind Raider.” She keeps rifling through before she finds… “The Golden Rose…” the ones that Rilla has. “If you look at the timeline, there’s a pattern that’s more consistent of the Golden Rose rather than the Wind Raider, you're right. It seems to be every thirty or so days.” That quick wit of theirs hooray. “Captain Morgan… Timely character. Gets his job done. Doesn’t wait around, it seems. Same as… this Harbormaster who seems organized especially when it comes to sketchier trade? I don’t know. It’s a thought. A very vague, quick, stupid, non-evidential thought. Either way, I think we need to get out of here soon.” Patient Penelope was dwindling and talking very quietly fast.

Meri :: Yes, Khitti was going to have to knock this guy out. It was really the only reasonable solution, Meri was about to make the choice herself? But she was happy to let the redhead release a bit of rage onto this drunk and render him unconscious. This really did not seem like a time that they needed to relocate the man. Someone passed out in the middle of the harbor was not something that would really draw too much suspicious attention. It would just be wasted energy on the part of Khitti and Meri. While Meri had no way of knowing how Penelope and Rilla were faring inside of the office or what they were talking about, she and Peneleope were currently of the same line of thinking. The time that they could spend in this area has just been drastically reduced by the hollering of this drunk. Rilla and Nel would hear a very soft double knock on the door followed by Meri talking low through the door, “Come on, let’s get back.” The blonde would waste little time in distancing herself from the Harbormaster’s office, but moving up the docks and starting to head back in the direction of SoulsKin...She’s careful not to move too far ahead of everyone though, wanting to make sure that Rilla and Nel made it out without further incident. SoulsKin was a very short walk from where they were currently. Once everyone made it back inside to the tattoo parlor and the door was shut, affording them privacy to speak freely again, it was all eyes on Nel and Rilla to see if they had learned anything of note.

Khitti was almost disappointed that no one else showed up, but it was for the better. While she knew Rilla and Meri would be fine during this whole thing, Khitti was still rather unsure about Penelope. Sure, the healer’s future self managed to live as long as she did, but this wasn’t her. For all Khitti knew, Penelope was still the shy, quiet healer she’d met briefly on occasion for the past few years. What the heck was she doing in the Syndicate anyway? Khitti shrugged the concern away again--knowing full well that everyone has their use in situations, even if it’s not clear at the time--as Meri ever so nicely requested that they get the hell out of there. Meri would leave and Khitti would follow soon after, eventually leaving the cover of the shadows and heading into the tattoo parlor as well.

Rilla was not even kind of patient, and certainly not this organized when she’d done work in the harbour. She was, however, very adept at putting things back as they were along the way. Leaving no trace was kind of her thing these days - these lands had forgotten her exactly as much as the rest of the world. “I guess next we find the Captains.” Her gaze burned into the other woman for a long moment until the knock at the door drew her focus. “My bets on Morgan, but I commit crimes, not solve them.” She winked at the other woman and stood, flipping the papers back into their folders and shutting the drawers behind her and replacing the glowing stone in its pouch at her waist. “Thanks for the light. You’re going to go out first though. Once you’re in the shadows I’ll follow. Anyone says anything keep walking and tell the others I’ll be there soon.” Rilla crossed the room and unbolted the door, ushering Penelope out of the office regardless of her actual answer. She kept low, the door barely cracked as she watched out for the healer, automatically protective regardless of how generally unfriendly she could be. So long as all proceeded as expected, Rilla would follow. Taking a run for the shadows, she’d shadow-step between them, uncontrolled and entirely unintentional but not unwelcome. If it didn’t? Well, there was a knife with their name on it. Her appearance back in the shop was unremarkable, pushing through the door as she rolled up the sleeves on her jacket. A hidden blade was fastened to her left arm, but she just hopped up onto a table to sit atop it with her arms crossed over her chest once more. “Penelope had thoughts to share about ‘em, but there were two ships and two captains, and my bets on Morgan.” She shrugged, a crooked smile on her face as she shook her hood off and auburn curls splayed around her face once more.

Penelope hears the knock and hazel eyes lift to Rilla before fixating on the stack of papers on the desk. Pressing them in a neat stack again before placing it back in the drawer. A smile draws across her lips at Rilla, and perhaps that was why they were different and worked together. Both were skilled in different ways that… somehow worked. Without a word, she keeps that little grin and lets the flame that lights up the shadows of the room diminish. The girl moves through the black out to the door and moves beyond Rilla. There was an ease that came knowing Rilla was behind until they move to the parlor. Nel stands in that quiet, steady manner until Rilla arrives. Again, eyes settle to their original mossy hue. Khitti was right in her mindset, but one thing that Khitti did not know was that Penelope was a wallflower. Observant and quiet. Maybe that was the pull that triggered Magik to ask the question to join. Or maybe it was room for growth. Whether Nel would stay or move on her own path was another choice, but one would know that the girl was loyal and a quick learner and one who was open-minded. Would she last in the Syndicate with her gentle nature? Who knew. For now, this was a new chapter. Rilla speaks first and with ease, Penelope jumps in. The page memorization kicks into gear, “We found two suspects. Our bet is, in fact, Captain Morgan of the Golden Rose,” her voice is soft for the outsiders and the reflection of a smile is given to Rilla. “The patterns we saw was that Morgan was timely. A consistent time. The Harbormaster seems like a very organized man. Two organized men getting what they want? Maybe. But then, there is Captain Derek of the Wind Raider. Not timely. Maybe he is a sleazy trader? Then again, I think that would be quite obvious with his lateness and not taken lightly of a very risky business,” the girl then exhales in relief to be out of the tense building. “Take what you will.”

Meri :: There is a brief crack of a smile when everyone arrives back at the tattoo parlor. There might have been a bit of drama there for a moment, but all and all everything seemed to go off without a hitch...Except for one thing. What sort of information did they get? Meri's smile fades as she listens to what both Rilla and Penelope relay to her. It was not because she did not find this information valuable, it was because she was really soaking in the details. The blonde issues a stern nod of her head, "Well these are both promising leads, and hopefully it puts us in the right direction of figuring out exactly who these slave traders are. It seems like we have a bit more information to uncover, but hopefully next time we all get together...? It is to put an end to the run these traders have been on." Meri presses her lips together a moment before forcing a bit of a smile, "Anyway! I took the liberty of renting rooms down at the Kraken for you all, due to my requesting you come at such a late hour. Put down a bit of a tad there for you three as well. Consider it a thank you for coming out, but do not feel obligated to stay there if you would rather find your own place to crash. I'm going to hang out here for a bit longer before I lock up. You ladies take care. We'll be in touch."

Khitti listened to the info given by Rilla and Penelope, and nodded in agreement with Meri. “Yeah, you know where to find me…” But, where Rilla and Penelope would likely leave, Khitti would not just yet. “I see how it is--kicking me out?” She said this with a smirk of course. Meri probably did not care if she stuck around for a little bit. Khitti would probably even tell her about the shadow creature that’d been following her for a bit now. Maybe even show her the weird dark splotch it left on her chest after the thing literally plowed right through Khitti a couple weeks ago. And when Meri was tired of being social? Khitti would eventually leave and head to the “safety” of the Kraken. Well, it was safe from shadow creatures. Maybe. Probably.

Rilla wasn’t the most social person ever, her legs swung off the side of the table and her head tilted as Penelope and then Meri spoke. Again, not the one who solved crimes. Her job was the sneaking around bits, but at least some of them had a mind for justice. “I’ll probably take you up on that tab, but I don’t stay on the island anymore.” She bristled, then remembered the company she was in and her features smoothed, shoulders dropped with a slight exhale. “Send word when you need me again,” Rilla hopped back down from her table and pulled her sleeves back over her arms. “And I also like to be thanked with tattoos.” Rilla winked at the blonde before turning and making her exit.

Penelope smirks before her smile then fades into an eased line again. A random room for the night. It would be smarter to try to stay there. Though the ease that rests on Nel’s face begins to disperse slowly. Would it be okay staying in a room alone in the dark? She had done it before. Mirrors shattered later. Well, the others would be there… possibly, right? That was still a risk of… vulnerability. Weakness. “Thanks, Meri. It’s appreciated.” Her response is easy-going now in a whiplash. “We’ll keep in touch.” The woman then gives the other two a nod. Still brief. Still poised before she disappears to decipher whether she will stay at the Kraken or find a ship home.