349/The Black Griffin and Riventon

The Black Griffin and Riventon
Date of Scene:	02 September 2023
Location:	Plot Room 2
Synopsis:	Count Otto recruits Takashi in gathering data on and slaying his Niece! Friendships are /not/ made. Nobles are jerks.
Cast of Characters:	Hannah Steiner, Takashi Agera

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Hannah Steiner has posed:
Deep amidst Obsidian Tower, a tall blonde man stood scowling at the primitive tablet he's been assigned. Sharp features, a hawk-like nose, deep blue eyes, and a face that has likely never once known a smile observes the data brought back to him from the youma's destruction that ended in the failure of bringing back his niece's head.

"Gathering allies. Of course. Mein nichte. Your glass-upon-glass voice has ever drawn in hunds und cowards." Spat the man. Settled into his office, the fact he's been granted /middle management/ in Obsidian is both insulting and useful. For one, he's not so high up that he can't focus on his mission. On the other? His genius and birthright clearly marks him above those higher than him! Still. His mission here has that particular position most /useful/.

Scrolling down the list of Obsidian workers? Well, one name comes up many times. Takashi Agera. A simple prole that has some delusions of grandeur in his spiteful eyes, but also steeped in dark energy. His hand raises. That spark flares up, and once again, he shoves that mote back into his Linker Core. Filling that spot where his magic once was, he can't help but grin.

Settling back into his chair, he pushes a button.

"Send herr Agera to mein office, post-haste." Commands the middle-management type in a dour voice.

Takashi Agera has posed:
    Takashi blinked, seeing the notice come up on his phone. Who the heck is this? Another new arrival, he presumed, either from offworld or further afield. Tomoe, or perhaps Mimette, must be in one of those 'cooperative' moods, where they try to get little favors out of other members of Obsidian by trading off some of their own resources (including the human and nonhuman kind) for assistance. And as much as he hated to admit it, it wasn't a terrible plan - they were a little bit stagnant while research on a way to pull out Linker Cores as crystalized talismans continued. Of course, it was highly annoying that they chose him to be one of those people, especially while he felt like he was on the edge of the breakthrough that they needed. But, such was the life of a Squad Leader, seen by those above him as a pawn to be sent out to garner favors and positive connections.

    Whatever. The sooner he got whatever little errand this unknown wanted to send him on, the sooner he could get back to his experiments, to his important work, to 'changing the world'. Maybe he'd just have to support some goofy looking wolfman or scorpion lady or something, who knows.

    Takashi was, admittedly, not really able to muster a lot of respectfulness when he arrived at the office. But he manages to at least not be a direct jerk. "You sent for someone - or perhaps for me specifically?" Takashi asked, crossing his arms after running one of them through his long silver hair. "Who... are... you?" he asked after a moment, finding the man to be highly unfamiliar. Unaware asking this was like someone else asking him - a likely prelude to a bombastic introduction that would be annoyingly familiar in tone if it did happen.

Hannah Steiner has posed:
The lack of respect, and in turn, debasement has the Count peering at Takashi, particularly as he can't place his name. Brows knit. And then, suddenly, relax with the force of a career politician. Despite his failure at a coup, Count Otto has some vague vestige of charisma that the House of Steiner is known for. It's just dark indeed.

A hand waves dismissively. "One restricted to this mere obscure backwards ball of dirt should not be faulted for such ignorance! Mein nomen, her Agera, is Count Otto von Karstein-Steiner. True heir to the world of Tharkad. But do not worry about such things far beyond any on this world!" He snarls, and grins, peering upon Takashi as if his existence is far, far below his own. Arrogance radiates from this middle management type, as does Dark Energy gathered from his own wroth!

"Do not bother with further questions. You possess an inkling of Device Meistering, do you not? I seek the death of a single 'magical girl'. It may well be beyond you, yet I offer you an opportunity. Und in the event you fail? Nein, I shan't consider that a 'failure', for she is a persistant parasite!" Snarls the man, entirely in his own world as her talks.

A picture is offered to Takashi, and then, a full biography. Both Hannah's mundane form, and that of her as 'Trager des Blauer Greif', or Trager-chan as Sailor Moon puts it! And more importantly, the Ancient Belkan Device Blauer Greif!

He stands up straighter in his chair. "Track her down. Und grant me a full scan of her Device. I shall in turn, offer you a boon worthy of such a work, regardless of mein sibling's head in mein lap." Offers the Count, nodding to the ambitious young man!

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi pauses. He remembers meeting Hannah, or at least Trager, and so he can place that kind of accent, that noble haughtiness. "I've encountered the girl." he replies. "And I'm not a fan." To put it mildly. He pauses mentally, but not externally, when he realizes that Count Otto is asking for him to actually slay the girl - she's a device mage, and Takashi's ultimate plan would be to just take said device. But, he can 'fail' and still be rewarded? Well, it's only a failure if your intent is success, isn't it?

    "Hm. I see there's no love lost amongst family members, then?" He's crossing his arms. Not a huge fan of that, either, but then again, sometimes he wants to punch his adopted brother, maybe when you're closer, you want to do a little more stabbing than punching. Or, maybe Hannah deserves it. Or maybe Count Otto is a jerk. Or many of these things could be true.

    Takashi decides to try a tiny bit of diplomacy. "Well, do forgive my lack of information about offworld nobility, Count Karstein-Steiner. I can see that you are a busy person, to have come all the way to our little ball of dirt to resolve this... problem. I'd be happy to offer my assistance, but if there's any information you have that would be helkpful, I'd love to hear it - to increase the chance of success. And secondarily... surely if the reward is so worthy, you could inform up front? I fully doubt that the great Count Karstein-Steiner pays his mercinaries in IOUs." This is at least what PASSES for Agera Diplomacy.

Hannah Steiner has posed:
The man let's out a hard 'tch' when Takashi brings up the lack of love. "She is a worthless parasite given everything, and achieving nothing. And an obstacle to mein rightful rule. Her very existance is a stain upon wherever she walks. Hannah Steiner does not deserve to breathe air even with the lowest flea-bitten hund, nevermind a true ruler." Spits out the man venemously!

The Count simply nods as the expected negotiation comes up. "Hmph. Cheeky brat. Here." From his uniform, he puts down a set of folders, looking rather hefty.

"You shall receive the rest that shall make it /useful/ after you return, with head or Device. Incentive to be successful rather than just run off as a Mid-Childan coward would." Offered the man, even as he glared at her.

"Ensure that you kill her slowly. Make her suffer."

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi takes the paperwork, looking through it quickly. He doesn't reply to 'cheeky brat' but he wants to. He does, however, pick up on the fact that there's some genuine hatred from this man. He can kind of respect that, to a certain degree. As far as wether Hannah deserves to die for... whatever sleight the man proclaims? He doubts it. But if the man can bring him a little closer to what he's trying to do, he can be a little... mean. At the very least he can deliver the meessage. Maybe break her device and send her running. Most people would be satisfied with that.

    "I will do my very best to give her exactly what she deserves." he replies. "Those who trouble their betters find themselves quickly incapable of troubling anyone ever again, when I see to them." he notes. Part of him wants to get Hannah's side of the story... just to see how mad it makes her. These two are absolutely related, yes.

Hannah Steiner has posed:
Eyes narrow, he tilts his head, and then finally nods to the young man. "Good. Prove yourself useful, and perhaps I shall offer you patronage, herr Riventon. You seem as though there is potential in you, however small." Admits the man arrogantly, before placing a card on the desk.

"You may contact me at mein office once you succeeded in our terms. Do not return until then." Orders the man gruffly, before her turns, and starts to stride out as if he owns the place.

"To think I needs lower meinself to conversing with proles..." he mutters to himself, easily overheard in those arrogant Belkan tones.

Takashi Agera has posed:
Takashi shakes his head but takes the card. Offhandedly he wonders if Hannah would pay him to get rid of this guy. But, well. Sides of the fence and all. He was already working against a fair number of the members of Obsidian as it was. Maybe it was best not to push it... for now.

    "Naturally. In any case, I'll at least get the data your seeking." he says. There's a lot of confidence and assurance in that line.