Maureen
Just walking around with her new pal, she glances around taking in her surroundings while writing down everything that fascinates in her journal. She is amazed by all her new surroundings and is excited from what could come from this festival.
Jane
*After shutting the door to his car and locking it up, he nonchalantly strolled down the stairs of the parking garage until he reached the ground floor. In the distance he could hear the sound of excitement and music, making a mental note that the source was his destination. He cracked his neck, shifting his pistol holsters to a more comfortable position before stepping out of the garage into the sunlight. After making his way through streets and alleys lined with people in bright, festive outfits, he finally arrived at the Festival Center, glancing around at the diverse crowd of folks that surrounded it. Fun. He lit a cigarette, cupping his hand around his lighter to shield it from the wind, before deciding to explore the Festival grounds. This was a rather large event, but hey, it's a large city, and a large reason to celebrate. Thinking about it now, he was a little more anxious about it. The big stuff tends to be magnets for bad activity. Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but he kept the thought in the back of his mind just in case. On the upside, at least he was prepared. He never went anywhere unarmed, mostly for good reason. But that's a negative way to think. For now he intended to just enjoy the festivities, wind down and celebrate the tenth anniversary of a world reborn for the better.*
William
*She peered further out from the alleyway she was hanging out in, taking note of a few people that seemed to stick out from the crowd somewhat. William and Athena seemed to be sticking together, probably friends, though her eyes focused more on William given his attire. She didn't think this was a formal event, but maybe he just preferred to dress like that, after all, who was she to judge? Just a minor mental note anyways. The other lady she took notice of was Rita with the unique sword she had holstered on her back. Something to note, but she wasn't acting suspicious so she wouldn't count her as a possible trouble maker or one to disrupt the event. Same went for Daniel, first thing she took notice of was the fact that he was somewhat armed from what she could pick out, a good few people were, but maybe they were just as anxious to see something go wrong like she did. Just like that one.. Odd lady. She felt bad somewhat given the way that the woman limped and appeared to be blind. What was she doing here? It would be difficult to navigate around with all the noise wouldn't it? None of her business of course, so for now, she just kept watching. After a bit though she had to change out her cigarettes as unfortunately she was quite addicted to the things at the young age of just 19.*
Bonnie
*Looking at the sky of the bright lights above he began to remember the war and the way the flares would light the trenches and no man's land, he remembered the mud and blood sending a chill down his spine. Not wishing to cause an accident or scene he shifted his holster away from his hand, tighting his coat and placing his bandana around his neck. Looking away he noticed a shimmer of a light in the alleyway but it quickly vanished deciding not to investigate. He wondered if he needed a new coat after the years of abuse this one has seen*
Jane
*After a few seconds of taking in some of the sights of the scene, he glanced around and assessed a few individuals who he deemed notable. Cue overactive detail-oriented brain. He first noticed a young woman, red hair, who seemed to be in at least her early twenties, smoking in an alleyway. He gave a slightly amused huff, glancing at the cigarette in his own hand. At least he wasn't the only one. The next folks to cross his eyes were a duo, a man and a woman. The man seemed to look like he came from a different time entirely - It gave Dan some slight confusion, but he shrugged it off, he could wear what he wanted after all. He took note of the woman he walked with, blonde hair, similar in age to the other young woman. She seemed to be enjoying her time there. Finally, he took note of another woman, masked, armed, and oddly. Still. He raised an eyebrow, but turned to look away, not wanting to be rude. As he kept walking, his attention elsewhere, he almost walked himself right into a beautifully constructed fountain, accompanied by a seemingly injured person carrying a rather large sword. Despite almost bumping more into the fountain than her, he swiftly apologized, his eyes narrow under his sunglasses.*
William
*She likely met eyes with Daniel when his eyes assessed her briefly, though she absolutely hated eye-contact so she quickly just glanced back down to her feet, looking up once she felt him look away and snickering at him nearly bumping into the fountain. Lost in thought probably, though she would be one to talk as that had happened to her many times. So far so good though, people seemed to be happy at least.. Except her of course, being moody as always and refusing to enjoy the sunlight and loud music. She didn't have any condition preventing her from going out into the sun, she just didn't like it, and the fact she was layered up a lot with both a sweater and hoodie didn't exactly help her.*
Bonnie
*He was confused by the festivities and the people around him, his new comrade, who he's gotten to call witch lady, told him that it was her first time attending the festival as well. He wondered what she kept writing in her journal and what the purpose of it was, maybe to study the world? He couldn't know and he wouldn't dare ask for he saw it as rude especially since this witch lady has saved his life not just a few weeks ago. He wondered what the purpose of the festival was and why it was so important. Confused of the new world he wondered if everything changed since his time*
Loretta
*She had a plan, for today.
Not that that was an uncommon thing for her, of course- she had a plan for just about every day. Where to go, what to do... All set from the moment she woke up from the moment she went to sleep. She found the structure.. Comforting. It was one of the reasons she was so un-comfortable as she entered the noisy, large crowd that filled the festival. She'd been to this festival each and every year, and yet she still hadn't gotten used to it. Her plan, all-in-all, wasn't a complex one- she had a few different stalls she intended to visit, one for armor, one for medical supplies that might help her mend her eye quicker... And a shadier one she wasn't even sure was here. Hopefully, the last of these would be able to get her information on other people from where she was from- to help relocate the people she'd been separated with. She kept her eye out in the crowd, of course, but kept her hopes low. There were far too many people here to make finding familiar faces an easy task, even with her eyesight.
She bumped into someone as she thought this- a quick apology set it straight but... The discomfort lingered. Her right side. Still far more vulnerable than she'd ever like. Finding people in this crowd with only half her normal vision would be... Frustrating. But all the same, she had a plan, and she was going to stick to it.
A structured, regular festival. Same as it had always been.*
Mildred
```ini
[". . .WE ARE BEING WATCHED."]
```
Geraldine
``"—"``

Before she could mutter back, she felt a slight bump from the errant Daniel into her backside that caused her to lightly, but not excessively stumble, able to regain balance using the sheathed blade. She grabbed her right leg with her left hand, feeling moderate pressure on it from the small impact, but nonetheless turned around with an expression that did not indicate anger. Rather, and it took a moment, but she put on a weak, measly smiled, as if it were struggling to keep itself together— not because it was a farce, but because she was visibly spent of energy. She *Was* Displeased at the fact that she didn't notice the man beforehand, albeit, considering the importance of the matter that demanded her presence as stated by Salhaeja, but obviously it was an accident, unintended and barely worth any level of strife. Her fault, not his, and she hoped he wouldn't pity the cripple to compensate for it.

``". . .Oh, it's fine. I should've been paying attention."`` Her voice was elevated, yet maintained the same level of mellowness and fatigue, adding a slight inflection of pain from her leg. Sal provided her mental dialogue of the man's appearance; brown jacket, white tee, blue pants that probably had a belt, shoes, some sunglasses that weren't similar to hers, and a type of hairstyle she couldn't remember the name of. She wasn't one for details or thorough outlooks, nor especially for *Good* Fashion sense, obviously, although it wasn't a style something she'd seen commonly for what that was worth. As for what she was wearing? An atrocity to the eyes— an oversized *Nyan Cat* Purple shirt, Poptart pink pants that were also too big, and gray shoes that were hard to discern whether they were slippers or normal sneakers. Her pajamas— at a prestigious festival, mind you— were barely held together by a large purple coat she wore, alongside hair tied into a lazy bun. Salhaeja despised her wardrobe, but this matter took precedence.
Mildred
```ini
["THIS ONE. ASK HIM WHAT HE KNOWS."]
```
William
*She watched meticulously as another newcomer caught her eye that stood out from the large crowd, a clear eyepatch on her face. Curious about the backstory, but not enough for her to go over and right out ask what happened. She snickered once the woman bumped into another festival-goer. It seemed that such things were inevitable given how crowded and squeezed together everyone was from the turn out. Hopefully not too many other people would join or else there was the chance her alleyway would be overrun with people trying to get away from the heated and noisy environment.*
Geraldine
She looked down at her sword for a moment, nodded, then turned back up to Daniel, palming both hands on her blade as to stand in one place. 'What he knows' could've meant anything, but based on what Salhaeja just said, she figured he was referring to the supposed stalker among them, in accordance to his unanswered comment earlier. Also, it seemed like a pretty decent icebreaker, all things considered. She probably would've spoke to him anyway, because why not?

``"So, you, well—"`` At first, she struggled on how to phrase it, but then continued. ``"I've got this. . . Feeling, we're being watched. And at things like this, bad feelings aren't great to have, really. . ."`` She kind of laughed after her inquiry, acknowledging the oddity of such a question. However, she almost immediately realized her blunder; she hadn't even introduced herself, or asked the man his name.

``"—Oh, and, well, what's your name? Mine's. . . Ha. Like, haha."`` She sorted of shrugged at her own explanation, as if not fully convinced it was a good one. It was apparent that her pauses throughout her speech were not out of pure awkwardness, but the fact that she was, again, tired, as though struggling to put words and sentences together.
Jane
*He first raised an eyebrow at the inquiry of them being watched, but took a moment to think, and realized it was a fair assessment, especially in a crowded environment such as this. Although, a warm grin spread across his face at the introduction, not in the way that he was amused, but moreso that he appreciated the gesture.*

"Name's Daniel. Could be Dan for short, whatever's easiest for you."
Mildred
```ini
["BE SPECIFIC. KEEP GOING."]
```
Geraldine
"``Daniel. . . I'm sorry in advance if I forget, I'm bad with remembering."`` Ha's accent was more noticeable on certain words, like 'remembering', and her slang wasn't always perfect, but still pretty good. She determined that it'd be rude to just brush off his reply and go straight to what Salhaeja demanded, so she 'kept going' as he suggested, albeit in a different direction. He seemed nice, much as his appearance was rough on the exterior— in a positive way, not an insult. A pleasant, uncomplicated talk like this in an event this loud and buzzling was a refresher.

``"What brings you here today, Dan? Something to look for?"`` She'd bring up the apparent stalking issue momentarily. For now, she was content with having this meaningless, but time passing interaction. That said, she did wonder what exactly Salhaeja was actually talking about by 'being watched', considering he could've elaborated, but chose not to. Perhaps he wasn't sure? Or were there multiple parties watching, maybe? He asked her to be specific, but did not specify on *What* Exactly to be specific on. As such, she subtly bumped the blade against the ground harmlessly, essentially the equivalent of tapping Salhaeja on the shoulder.
Mildred
```ini
["ALLEYWAY."]
```
Jane
*He shook his head, with a pleasant smile.* "No need to apologize. But, yeah, that's pretty much it. I heard about it a while ago while out shopping, and I figured it'd be a nice change of pace." *He seemed content in the conversation, judging this person to be friendly, someone he need not worry about. He relaxed, holding his cigarette between his fingers with a patient demeanor.*
Mildred
```ini
["GET TO THE POINT. PEOPLE WILL GET HURT."]
```
Geraldine
Ha did not physically acknowledge his words, but she understood. She tilted her head, sighing to the point that it was, again, inaudible, as she moved on from the pleasantries they exchanged. Guilt tripping her *Always* Worked, but he didn't have to resort to it so quickly. That must've meant this was that important, or that Salhaeja was just especially impatient this evening. She was enjoying the little conversation they were having, and it was helping fight back against her fatigue, as well as her general disinterest. Now, she had to return on focusing on things that *Actually* Mattered. Things that were draining, and yet, she couldn't help herself. The sword wouldn't let up; it never does.

``"Oh, yes. . . Well, earlier I'd brought up. . . Being watched, and, well. Something. . . Alleyway?"`` She genuinely could not come up with the end of her sentence and blurted out what Salhaeja had mentioned— granted, that was *Literally* All he said, in singular word form. Ha was perplexed that this particular person, the one that so happened to bump into her, was the one that her bladed presumed could've knew something. Out of all the hundreds of strangers, the first one she interacts with? At that point, it just seemed random, uninformed, but she knew not to doubt Salhaeja's knowledge or drive. He, unlike her, was dedicated to this like his life depended on it. 

She felt bad skipping around Dan's response, additionally because he'd come here to actually enjoy himself, or at least experience something new. Whatever Salhaeja knew probably wasn't what he bargained for— or maybe it was. The man seemed relaxed, though, unbothered and unjudgmental of the crippled lady he spoke to. Most people would've shrieked at her inappropriate attire, or gave her a look of pity, not that she cared about that sort of assumption greatly. Really, she only felt bad knowing that people would eventually find out she is not *Entirely* Disabled as she appears to be. ``"Someone. . . There?"``

That was a guess. She slightly leaned over against her blade, trying to make her words slightly more discrete, albeit not exactly necessary to do so.
Jane
*Taking to note the odd demeanor and admittedly strange wording, he decided that these were words he should acknowledge. He glanced around, scanning every alleyway for someone who could've been watching without their knowledge. However... Surely they didn't mean the young woman with the red hair. He hadn't particularly clocked her as someone to worry about, but they stood out more against the bustling alleyways than most others did. Daniel looked back at Ha, motioning subtly back towards the alleyway and raising his eyebrow, as if it to ask, "Her?"*
William
*She glanced around boredly, though noticing out the corner of her eye that Daniel motioned to her very faintly, though maybe she was just seeing something, she decided to watch the two converse just to ensure that she was not assuming something. Though she simply had a gut feeling - intuition that they were talking about her and not in a good way.. Well, almost no one ever spoke about her in a positive manner to be fair. Not like she could blame them though, she never had a great reputation to start.*
Mildred
```ini
["YES. THAT ONE."]
```
Geraldine
``". . ."`` Ha had a puzzled look behind her sunglasses, but she figured at this point she was thinking too much about more questions than she could handle. Nonetheless, his motion was apparently correct— and naturally, she had not sensed the aforementioned woman at any point, despite the fact that she was quite literally the only person hanging around an alleyway in the midst of a bustling festival. In fact, Ha only knew she was a woman because Daniel said 'her' specifically. She was, for lack of better term, off her game in this place, not that she was always razor sharp elsewhere excluding when things got messy. Salhaeja did not elaborate upon his confirmation in the slightest, and whether or not this mystery woman was or associated with the threat he mentioned was unclear, leaving her only option to make assumptions. He was usually transparent with intentions or motive.

``". . .Can we go this way?"`` She spoke plainly, yet not losing her intonation of exhaustion. There was an implication based on the vagueness that she wanted to discuss something, as she made a similar motion to Dan earlier using her floored, sheathed blade to their right, further into the heart of the festival. In general, Daniel seemed. . . Trustworthy, based somewhat on her general assumption, but mostly on the fact that Salhaeja was willing to include his input; he wasn't one for trusting others, quick to be overcautious and judgmental. Discretion was probably what she was supposed to do in this sort of situation, but the fact of the matter was that she had no clue what to say other than the most generic of assessments. Even so, Ha began to limp and navigate towards the innards of the festivities, using her concealed blade as the prototypical crutch, and, assuming he followed, would do her best to explain on lackluster intel.
Rosa
*He's finally arrived at all the shining lights, hoping to meet some new people, he's more than abnormal looking, he sticks out like a sore thumb, but he just hopes to make a new friend or two.*
Bonnie
*Noticing a kind of shadow man standing under the light he wonders if its a trick of his imagination or an actual person, he remembered how in the war there were rumors of beasts in the night maybe this was one? Nudging Athena next to him he asks "Do you see that shadow over there?" Pointing his hand at the anomaly*
Maureen
After being nudged by William and getting asked about the shadow she looks towards where he was pointing and says "Yea, tho i dont see anything that could be causing it. Weird"
Rosa
*He looks around and just kinda a makes an awkward side step to the left, out from under the light.*
Bonnie
*Seeing the shadow vanish into the darkness sent a chill down his spine, it reminded him of how the soldiers crossing no man's land would hide in the shadows to attempt to sneak closer in order to make a surprise raid, he would do the same being part of night raids. Deciding to investigate the anomaly he reaches towards his side griping his revolver and checking to see if he was fully loaded, he was, and investigate the light with his witch lady friend*
Maureen
Athena calls out "Hello, Anyone there?" As she approaches the streetlight looking around to see if she can see anything
Rosa
*His shining beady white eyes dart to look at the two, he saw how William gripped his revolver and immediately made a low grumbling sound as his eyes got wider.*
Bonnie
*Hearing the sound of growling it sounded like an animal to William like the ones he would hunt in the mountains of Arizona, realizing he was still gripping his revolver he softly eased his hand and lowered it down, still in reach just in case he needed a Quickdraw but to present himself as harmless and potentially make an ally with this anomaly. Saying in a clear voice "I don't want a fight with you shadow just merely wish to speak and acquaint ourselves"*
Rosa
*He stopped growling and stepped back into the light.* "Sorry about that, I'm not really used to acting in hostile situations so i just kinda turn feral, and sorry if my appearance scared you, I was just kinda born like this."
Maureen
Holding out her hand Athena says "Nice to meet you, Im Athena"
Bonnie
*Easing up his stance he says "Names William, sorry if I made you think I was hostile and don't worry I think you look pretty cool" Saying with a soft chuckle*
Rosa
*He shook Athena's hand.* "Name's Max, and as you can tell I'm not really from here."
Maureen
Athena says "Firm grip and don't worry we are also new here, wanna tag along and enjoy the festival?"
Rosa
"Sure why not i was hoping to make some new friends anyway."
Bonnie
*"I would offer you a cigarette but I'm kinda out right now so sorry about that" While offering a soft smile and outstretched his hand "Tell me about yourself max"*
Rosa
*He shook Williams hand.* "Well for starters I can't really smoke, believe or not I'm only 14."
Bonnie
*"Things really have changed since my time, where I'm from 14 year old would work in factories and mines they could smoke and drink but mainly because the bosses didn't care. I'm not from this era or world actually, I'm fron 1927 this witch lady found me in an alleyway and saved me so I reckon that gives to her character" Shifting his weight off his left leg no longer in the stance for a Quickdraw allowing himself to have a calmer body language*
Maureen
Athena says "For the last time, im not a witch, im a detective"
Bonnie
*Giving his friend a puzzled look he says "But you're a witch, you have those bird things" While also turning his attention towards max and asking "Are you a witch or a wizard?"*
Rosa
*He looks at William and just rubs his head while thinking.* "Y'know i don't really think I'm either since i don't really use magic, but i can absorb it to an extent and then make it into some kind a weapon.*
Bonnie
*"That's pretty cool" While turning towards Athena and saying "Well cmon then let's get going and continue this search of this world" And waving his hand towards max as a gesture for him to follow us and continue our interaction*
Maureen
Athena says "Alright, lets continue the adventure" As she starts walking towards the market stalls
Rosa
*He walks with them and just looks around.*
Bonnie
*Approaching one of the stalls he looks around mesmerized by the beautifully crafted items such as banners, cups, whistles, and jewelry full of bright and shiny jewels, he wondered if his mother would've liked any of this stuff if she was still here but he doubts she would be happy with him due to his recent life. He spots a leather jacket which is cut to fit right above his waist, fitting like a denim trucker jacket, but he has no money to buy such a jacket and turns away towards Athena and max to observe them*
Maureen
Observing all the market items she notices a stall with magic puzzles and starts digging through her pockets, but found no money to buy anything
Rosa
*There wasn't much that intrigued him, he just looked at Athena and William.* "You guy's need help with getting something?"
Maureen
Athena replies with "Im good, thanks for the offer tho" As she continues to observe the magic puzzles
Bonnie
*Looking at max he says "I don't have money or well I do but i don't think my money will still work in this time era thanks for the offer though." While he looks back at more of the stalls to see what they have to offer*

*Looking through the rest of the stalls he spots many different things that intrigued him, spotting pieces of ornate silver and statues, clothing that he is confused on why people wear that style, thinking on whether he should try buying something unsure if his money is still valid in this era was when he saw a picture of the Great War. It was a picture of the American Expedition Force, the same unit he served in and there he was standing in the second row behind his comrades. He gave a solem sigh and asked the shopkeeper if he could buy a pack of cigarettes with the money he had. They said yes, he immediately put the first one upside down saying "In the mud and blood we shall fight and when this last smoke is done I shall know I survived" Sadden by the picture he walks towards Athena to see what she was interested in*
Maureen
Noticing William in a now somber mood walk over, Athena looks at him and asks "You seem gloomy all of a sudden, whats up?" As she stands up to to focus on him instead of the magic puzzles.
Bonnie
*Looking down to his new pal, the height difference between the two offering some kind of comic relief says "It's an old memory, something from a younger time." While patting his short friend of the head and asking "So what are you interested in?" While looking at the magic puzzles she was just looking at*
Maureen
In response to William, Athena says "These are magic puzzles, really fascinating and a bit tricky at times, quite expensive tho. Sometimes you even get a little prize or fortune from completing them"
Bonnie
*"So you are a witch" While looking at his friend and looking around for max and saying "I told you she was a witch" But also intrigued by the puzzle wondering how the puzzle could be magic and how they're solved*
Maureen
Athena responds with "Not a witch, magic is common in this era, its pretty much everywhere you look and witches are more magic potions and such this would be more of a artificer thing, right max?"
Rosa
*He just stared at them with wide eyes, he wasn't about to turn hostile, bro was just very confused.* "I'm not really the person to ask about this, where i come from people who can use magic and things of that such are just called witches."
Bonnie
*"See he agrees with me, you're a witch but a good witch by that" And turning towards max he asks "Speaking of where you're from where is that? If you don't mind me asking" While giving an apologetic shrug towards the shadowy man infront of him.*
Rosa
*His eyes went back to normal and he just looked at his hand before looking back at William.* "I'll tell you another time, it's not very special anyway." *He completely dodged the question, his voice sounding a bit more nervous.*
Bonnie
*Hearing the nervousness in his voice he decided to let him dodge it and not push. He looked at max and said "I would love to hear about it sometime." While turning towards Athena and asking "What makes these puzzles special?" Having a confused face and his hands inside his pockets leaning against a wall of the stall*
Maureen
To reply to William, Athena says "The magic tech used in these puzzles is complex and advanced, and each one is unique. There are even some that work based on your soul, however they managed to do that tho is beyond me"

"Anyways" Athena says looking towards Max, she asks "Is there anywhere or anything that piques your interest"
Rosa
"Not really, I only really came here to make some new friends which happened pretty quickly."
Bonnie
*Looking at max wondering why he only wanted to make new friends and not explore especially for someone of his age, he says "Well it was pretty easy to spot you especially since you were a shadow under a street light" Giving a smile to the shadow man*
Rosa
*He stared at William and only just now realized how much he stuck out.* "Y'know I only just now thought of how I stick out like a sore thumb, I mean look at me I look like a horror movie killer, and I look even scarier in the dark, this explains a lot actually."
Carl
She stood in a sword plant, standing guard and remaining completely unmoving and unwavering-monitoring what happened around her. Her bangs retracted, which briefly revealed her heterochromia/turquoise-colored right eye for a quick moment before it was covered again.
Maureen
Athena noticing a figure just standing in the distance waves them over as if welcoming them to join the group of distinctive individuals
Bonnie
*Looking towards the direction that Athena was waving to, he noticed the lady and asked Athena if she knew that person, he felt uneasy seeing the person he didn't know why so he reached towards his 1917 smith on his hip, his hand just slightly under the grip of the revolver, ready to draw if needed*
Maureen
Replying to William, "No, just seeing if they wanted to join us on our adventures" She says as she goes back to looking at the market stall wares
Carl
She looked over to see the person reaching for some kind of weapon, it seemed. She then walked over to them.

"Please do not fret, I intend to do no harm upon you or anyone here."

She sounded reassuring, yet at the same time her tone of voice sounded very stoic, monotonous strict... Commanding, even to a point where it felt like she almost comically expressed no kind of emotion at all.
Bonnie
*Hearing the tone of her voice reminded him of the his old bosses softly easing his hand and asking "What's your name, if you don't mind me asking" While putting his coat over his holster*
Carl
"I am Rita Kanisuka, what of you?"

She analyzed him-to her, he seemed fairly normal, nothing really to be concerned about. Her duty as a judge and Supreme Justice did make it a habit of hers, somewhat.
Bonnie
*"Names William, this is the witch lady who saved my life and that's a shadow man who we met today" Saying this while pointing at both Athena and max offering them to introduce themselves*
Maureen
Hearing William say Witch Lady, Athena turns around to say "I told you im not a witch" When she notices the person from the distance, she walks closer holding out her hand and says "Heya, Im Athena. Nice to meet you"
Rosa
*He had dozed off for a quick moment but finally snapped back and stared at Rita.* "Oh hey, name's Max."
Jose
*Sniff... Sniff...*

"I'd be hella damned if I said all 'at festival food didn't smell good..."

Kuouo's stood atop a four-story apartment complex, wiping the drool from his chin with one paw and tightly grasping his stomach with the other. The bandit's metabolism burned through calories faster than fire eats wood, so he found it imperative to act on his instincts and forage the concrete jungle for his next meal.

"Lesee, I jus' spent the last of my cash on payin' back my tab at Fuku's.." The bandit scanned the enormous crowd of people partaking in the festivities; they were all buying trinkets, foods, and spending money on carnival games. Kuouo's face grew mischeviously devious, mirroring a wanted poster for his capture posted at the bottom floor. "But that ain't gonna be a problem." He confidently declared. 

***"This place is gonna be ripe for pickin'!"***

** **
And so began the bandit's descent onto the festival. His fur rustled in his sprint off the ledge, hopping over to grab the ladder connected to next building over and sliding down to the ground floor. With a step out of the alleyway, the Medeian thief was now surrounded by a sea of people no longer disturbed by the whims of the Disparity. But, even so, he wouldn't let himself get swept under that same sense of safety — After all, he was a wanted man! He kept an observant eye out on the security detail of the festival, swerving through the masses before finally spotting an easy mark.

"These bozos seem pretty distracted right now, daheh!" Kuouo whispered to himself under a cocky smirk. In front of the goat were four individuals making acquaintances amongst themselves in front of a market stall — Three of them with trenchcoats, which made for an easier pickpocket since it didn't hug their skin like skinny jeans. 

In nearly an instant, he made a quick assessment from what he slightly observed — The girl in the trenchcoat had been distracted by the wares in front of her before turning around to correct the cowboy-guy's misattribution in introducing her to the steadfast-looking lady with the bangs. Meanwhile, the spooky shadow looking guy had just snapped back to reality, probably off daydreaming before turning his attention to the same lady. 

*"Time t' make my move!"*

Kuouo approached the market stall pretty non-chalantly, inserting himself in the space between the group's behind and the stall counter. He walked past them as if he were trying to avoid the crowd behind Rita, subtly and nimbly planting his sticky paws into their pockets, starting with the cowboy's trenchcoat pockets, moving onto the detective's trenchcoat, and finally, the shadow person's trenchcoat. His actions were discreet, but not unobservable — Especially towards the chick with bangs and a sword. If any of them had a keen enough sense of their surroundings, they'd be able to pull away and possibly confront the bandit. Otherwise, Kuouo would make off with whatever he found in any of their pockets.
Bonnie
*Noticing the goat man walking past, he paid no mind to him till he felt something be taken from his coat, reaching inside he noticed that his old Pinkerton badge was taken, quickly drawing his Smith 1917 he asked for his badge back*
Rosa
*He just looks at the two grabbing their weapons before putting his hand on his hat.*
Carl
" . . . ."

She took a further look around, only to see some odd... Goat looking man? Whatever, it didn't matter to her-what *Did* Matter is that he looked quite suspicious to her, his mannerisms didn't give her the best vibes. That's when she immediately turned her head to the anthropomorphic goat person, taking the sword from her back and immediately pointing the blade at his face.

"Whatever you have stolen, return it this instant, thief."

As always, her voice sounded very cold and commanding-it was meant to exude that she was serious and would not hesitate to take action against this person if it came down to it. She normally doesn't like immediately going to physical disputes, but she also understands that for some people it does seem to be the only language they can understand. She had *Hoped* It wouldn't be the case here, at least.

"Do as I command, and no harm shall come upon you. Resist and I will not hesitate to take action. Do not make the foolish mistake of confusing my offering of mercy for naivety."
Maureen
"Just give back what you took from the others, you wont win this fight" Athena says as she glares at the goat man
Jose
"Ho-ho-holy shit, ye guys are broke as hell!" The bandit snickered in the face of two swords unsheathed towards him as well as the barrel of a six-shooter being aimed directly at his face. "Is this thing even made o' silver? White gold, maybe?" Despite being faced with retaliation from his made marks, the bandit stayed non-chalant, biting down on the metallic badge in a sorry attempt to figure out the material. "I mean, honestly, if all three of ya are gonna jump me over this, at least let it be over somethin' valuable!" Kuouo smirked, tossing the badge over his shoulder and putting his left paw on the hilt of *Infernium.* The sword-fighters he could handle if they advanced forward, but he kept a sharp eye on William's revolver in case he decided to shoot.

"Yer boy over there can fetch his useless badge if he so chooses," Kuouo gripped his dagger handle, "But I ain't doin' it cuz I'm afraid of any of ya." Kuouo's smile beamed with confidence — or rather, cockiness. "In fact, if any of ya had money I'm sure I'd be able t' take ya down and rob ya blind! And if any of ya wanna test that theory, be my guest. Otherwise, fuck off and consider yerselves lucky ye didn't have a wallet stock-full of cash on ya!"
William
*She perked up finally as she spaced out for a good while given the lack of any real action going on but one she heard the distant conflict within the crowd she narrowed her eyes to get a look at what was going on. A.. Really sad excuse for pickpocketing it seemed, and the guy even got caught. How stupid do you have to be to pickpocket people in the middle of a huge and busy festival with multiple witnesses around? Whatever.. Not her business to bother critiquing. Though he seemed to actually stand out from the people she had looked at earlier as he wasn't human-looking. Past petty pick-pocketing though, he didn't seem like he was a big enough threat to the festival, especially since he just got caught.*
Carl
"I care not for the actions of the others. *I* Am judge, Supreme Justice, thus it is my *Duty* To appropriately deal with troubling individuals such as you regardless of what you intend on taking. Your actions are illegal, and thus it is my duty to ensure you receive your punishment. Now, I offer you one chance. Cease your ways and leave, or I take action against you. Choose wisely."
Maureen
"For a thief, you sure do talk big about poor people"
Rosa
*Two Cutlass shaped protrusions stabbed through his trench, his arms elongated and his eyes went wide, he then started to stare at Kuouo before making a low grumbling noise.*
Jose
"Ya sure like t' talk high and mighty about yerself." 

Kuouo dismissed Rita's valorant threat rife with justice and what not, including the last pitstop of mercy given to him. Especially since all William had to do was sadly stumble on over to the street and pick up his badge. All in all, the situation was handled over the one item the bandit managed to purloin, but he didn't take kindly to the way Rita was speaking down to him, nor how the spooky figure beside them was growling like a feral beast. 

"And o' course I'mma be miffed if yer comin' down to a festival with no money on hand." Kuouo scoffed as he slightly turned to address Athena's tongue. "If everyone's broke, where's the fun in stealin'?" He snickered before turning his attention back to Rita. "Anyhow, as botched as my little excursion on yer dusty ass trenchcoats were, I ain't givin' up shit." His right paw shot out a middle digit, coupled with a wink, stuck-out tongue, and a middle finger to Rita's ultimatum. "So take that and get the fuck outta here."
Rosa
*He immediately rushed at Kuouo, his right arm stretched out as he tried to grab and crush him.*
Bonnie
*Watching this happen he decides that he's just gonna sit back and watch after picking up his badge and putting his pistol back into the holster*
Maureen
Athena keeping her katana ready to attack if necassary yells "Kick his ass Max, You got this!"
Carl
She sighed. She was only hoping to arrest this person, not eviscerate them.

"It would seem... That your brain does not run nearly as fast as your mouth does. That is quite unfortunate. My aim is not to be "High and mighty", it is simply me doing my job and nothing more. I am confused as to why you have supposedly gotten this far in your life with such a reckless, arrogant, and overconfident attitude-it seems you have yet to be humbled.

She then walked over behind the goat man, grabbing him and moving out the way of Max's assault, then just-placing handcuffs on him, as she then spoke to Max.

"Please be aware that attempted murder over such a trivial thing makes *You* A criminal of a higher offense. If you continue I shall have to deal with you accordingly as well."
Rosa
*He stopped his assault for a moment as two more protrusions stabbed through his trenchcoat and started to twitch violently, his grumbling became louder as his arms went back to normal but his eyes didn't, only staring at Rita as the protrusions twitched more and more.*
Maureen
Athena sheaths her katana and walks up to max planing a hand on his shoulder saying "Its ok now, calm down"
Bonnie
*Walking with Athena he says "Listen man it's not worth it, I've been in prison before and at your age it's not worth it. He's not worth the effort" While standing next to him*
Jose
Kuouo readied his stance with his knees bent, about to dodge the feral shadow in front of him with an acroatic jump upwards before Rita calmly walked over and moved the bandit out of the way, placing him in cuffs.

"Yeah, no." Kuouo quickly hopped backwards, engulfing his right paw in flames and swiping the ground in front of him. Flames quickly erupted from the embers on the ground, creating a wall of flames that seperated Kuouo from Rita. There, he enacted an immense amount of tension between the cuffs, heating the chains and eventually snapping them with little-to-no harm on his wrists. "I gave ya the chance first t' get the fuck up outta here," Kuouo growled, bearing his goat fangs at the 'supreme justice' in front of them. "But now? I'm gonna make ya pay for tryna put me in cuffs." The wall of fire die down, revealing daggers pointed at Rita. One was *Infernium,* Finally unsheathed, and the second were his determined eyes stabbing into Rita. 

*Gritting his teeth, the bandit makes his advancement forward! With Infernium clanking against his cuffs as the blade was turned inward, Kuouo dashed with great speed, aiming to slice at Rita's face from her right side with the first swipe of his dagger.*
Rosa
*He surprisingly listens to the two as he stops grumbling and the protrusions slowly disappear.*
Carl
"I tried to resolve this peacefully... Yet it seems your barbaric personality understands nothing if it is not made clear through physical dispute. Something you have forced my hand to. Thus, I shall respond accordingly."

She blocked the strike with her own blade, before retaliating with a horizontal slash-though, she didn't aim for anything vital. It's not like she intended on killing this person anyways, even if they *Do* Heavily annoy her.
Jose
*Clang!*

Sparks flew at the clashing sound of Rita and Kuouo's blades connect with each other. As the blades reverberated and Rita prepared her horizontal retaliation, she's met yet again with the bandit's cocky smile up close. *Yes, up close.* Rita had failed to utilize the range of her sword at round start, allowing the bandit get within close range and perceive the start-up of her next attack with his sharp eyes. He completely avoids the horizontal slash, swiveling behind Rita whilst utilizing the area of opporunity given at the end of her horizontal arc.

"Yer a pretty lousy swordswoman for lettin' me get that close, ain'tcha?" Kuouo whispered, his cockiness turning into confidence as he simultaneously reeled a fiery kick, aiming to strike the woman in the small of her back with great force and speed. Interestingly enough, he too didn't seem intent in killing her. It was almost like he was having... Fun?
Carl
*Clang!* Sparks flew at the clashing sound of Rita and Kuouo's blades connect with each other. As the blades reverberated and R...

"Your words matter not to me."

She completely dismissed his taunting. Although-she was hit by the kick, getting knocked back as she promptly got up. She then jumped towards him-grabbing him and kicking him in such a manner that she'd actually flip off his body before slashing down at him once more.

"Is your mindless thirst for battle satiated? I do not enjoy this in the same manner you do. I do not enjoy it *Period.* This is *Quite* Ridiculous."

She clearly wasn't in the mood to have this drag on any further-not out of cowardice or anything, but because she doesn't see any actual legitimate reason to continue this. She sounded very non-chalant about it.
Michelle
__***```
"Enough."
```***__
The thick waves of people had already dispersed around the fight amidst the Festival, a small circle of onlookers spectating the debacle from afar. From between those spectators emerged a single man as swift, instant, and smooth as though he appeared in a blur of white light, a man: one dressed in an anachronistic, Renaissance-esque, brown-and-orange garb, decorated with accents of white-and-gold cloth, draped across by a white half-cape. All across his body were small buckles, plates, belts, straps, and padding — bits and pieces of protective gear, guarding the most vital parts of his upper and lower body — yet what caught the eye, most of all, was the rosary rest against the metal padding his breast, suspended by a beaded loop hung loosely from his neck.

He did not so much dash between them as he simply *Appeared,* Fully-stanced, infront of Rita — with Kuouo positioned directly behind him — reinforced from head-to-toe with mana, intercepting Rita's kick with little more than the palm of his right hand. Her follow-up slash would be negated in a similar fashion: a thin, yet effulgent aura of pale-orange magical energy enveloped his palm, tremendously reinforcing its durability and using it to block and deflect the arc of the swing of the blade, his light-brown eyes locked with hers in the brief moment she slashed.
_ _

```
"𝘋𝘪𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘪 𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘰. These festivities will one day be the end of me."
```

...The man shook his head, his arm still outstretched and enveloped in mana, as he lifted the rosary to his brow, closing his, whispering a brief prayer. His voice was full of youth, strong, upright, and virtuous; yet at the same time, there felt an ounce of enmity — a thin sense of anger — beneath it all.

```
"There will be no more of this on the site of the Festival."
"Your weapons will return to their sheathes. Or if even if this level of civility escapes you, I will take them myself."
```

His outstretched hand lowered, as he let the wooden pearls of the rosary slip between the cracks between his fingertips, suspending the rosary with his right hand. His battle-hardened posture now eased, as he stood upright between the two, the fullness of his stature revealed: he stood at a height of 193 centimeters, extraordinarily well-built all throughout, the definition of his musculature pronounced even through the small amount of padding and armor that guarded his body.
Carl
She stepped back to see this new arrival-she was surprised by their power to say the least, but she still didn't seem very intimidated-not even with this man's tall stature or muscular body, remaining stoic and poised as she always is. Hell, she seemed to *Welcome* This-it's not like she wanted the fight to continue anyways, she merely acted out of self-defense. She had already put her weapon on her back by the time he'd arrived.

"I do not know you, but it would seem we share the same sentiment of this battle being entirely pointless and unnecessary. On that front, I agree-I was not planning to continue this further regardless."

"That being said, I must say-that you do intrigue me. If I may, who are you?"
Jose
Kuouo was aiming to retaliate, *Infernium* Imbued with searing hot flames until... 

*```
"Enough."
```*

Kuouo's eyes widened as a man, seemingly from thin air, appeared between the two of them dressed in a garb he had never seen before. Furthermore, even though Kuouo wasn't all that great at sensing mana as a Medei, he could feel layers of it engulfing the man. He took a step back, feeling an all-too-familiar sense of danger in the fact that the bandit wasn't unable to sense him until he appeared. He knew when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, and so the bandit would reluctantly sheathe his blade.

"Hnph. Fine, but only cuz I've changed my mind and decided I wanted t' actually eat some damn festival food today." He crossed his arms and huffed, cocking his head and tapping his foot paw. 

"We'll call it a draw lady," Kuouo peeped his head to the side of the strange man's shoulder, locking eyes with Rita. "If we meet again, I promise I won't go easy on ya next time!" The bandit swiveled around, turning over to the market stall and browsing their items as if nothing had happened... Even as the market owner started sweating bullets from how quick the known thief could set anything beyond the counter in a blaze.
William
*She huffed a bit at the quick end to the fight as it felt just so.. Boring. She was curious to see who would've won as her eyes stared from the darkened alleyway only to be disappointed yet again. Though, to be fair it seemed like a lot of people wanted this festival to go right and were paranoid of anything going awry. Makes sense that they'd shut down any fights immediately, but she still couldn't help but wish for something more eventful to happen or else her time standing here would've been wasted when she could've just gone back to the hotel she was currently staying at. She glanced over to have her eyes follow where Kuouo went, and then back at Rita.*
Rosa
Sorry about that sir, the guy tried to rob us and thing's got hostile pretty quickly, thankfully no one got hurt and nothing else bad happened, sadly for me I ruined my favorite trenchcoat, again.
Maureen
"Well that was surely something" Athena said as she pulls out her notebook
Bonnie
*"I'm sorry for this action of hostility during this event, but max is correct. The goat man did try stealing from us and it escalated out of control" While turning towards Rita he adds "You're a good fighter too, stood your ground just as good as any soldier I had the honor of fighting with" Reminding him of the bravery the soldiers showed in the trenches and offering her a cigarette from his pack*
Michelle
His brow furrowed. Neither the words that seeked to stoke a sense of common purpose and familiarity from Rita, nor Max's apology, seemed to push him once bit. Yet, as the bandit started to slink away...

```
"Hold fast."
"I have not pardoned you for brandishing a weapon in a crowd," he said, shooting a sharp glance at Kuouo. "Or 𝘺𝘰𝘶," his gaze drifted toward Max, and his arm extended without looking toward Athena and William.

Now the tone of his voice was much sharper, a slight growl in his voice as he spoke.

"This is a festival to celebrate the mercy of peace given to mankind during an age of calamity. And yet...!" 
"...Here you stand at one another's throats. As a servant of the most high God, entrusted to the protection of these people, I will now see you removed from the premises—"
```

His words were filled with a blind zeal only seen in the religious-type that he evidently identified with. Yes, things were becoming clear, from his magic prowess to his unusual strength to his even more unusual garb and mannerisms: he seemed a member of the *Vicariate,* A man identified with the Church of *Santa Croce.* And evidently, by his stature and prowess with magic, he certainly would be placed amidst the higher rankings of the servants of the Church: such a man was now ordering the removal of *Everyone* Involved in the incident, until his subsequent interruption—
Deborah
```
"Let it go, my friend. Like you have said, this is a celebration. It would not hurt you at all to rein it in a little, yes?"```

...Emerged a shorter figure, with intricate, puffy locks of white hair, deep, black glasses, a short, compact, yet commanding presence, and a lit pipe gripped between her index and thumb. Her voice carried a sense of sophistication and a simultaneous, strange sense of nonchalance, her eyes squinted behind her opaque glasses.

```
"Drama is the spice that gives life to an event like this. And it is not like this festival being an icon of peace means it is supposed to be peaceful itself," she grinned. "I would have let them scuffle some," the woman took a drag of her pipe, its pale smoke evaporating swiftly as she gave it a long puff. "It makes good kindling for the flame waiting to be lit."
"The later festivities are sure to be more interesting if its conflicts are more... Personal, yes?"
```
Michelle
```
"You don't know of the matters you speak of. This wasn't just some... 'scuffle', as you say. This was an armed conflict, with intent to kill. In the broad light of the streets — before the people, no less. On my name as Matteo, a holy servant of the 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦, I firmly request you cease your obstruction of order, rescin—"
```
His arm swung to his side as he made a bold declaration, immediately dismissing her statement. Yet as swiftly as he was to interrupt, so was she.
Deborah
```
"Spare me the sermon, boy. I have had quite enough of those for today," She took another drag of the pipe. "You have done your part; now, I am doing mine. Let it go."```
Michelle
```
"And who are 𝘺𝘰𝘶, that I should accede to?"
```
Deborah
```
"Ah, I began to worry that you were not going to ask..."```

The woman's smile grew as she lowered the pipe, tucking her hand into a pocket of her overcoat. Matteo briefly raised his arm, anticipating that she might pull a weapon, yet she did nothing of the like — rather, she withdrew what appeared to be a business-card, char-black in color, upon which the inscription of a pearly-white rune was inscribed, and no more. There was no text, and merely the rune... Or so it seemed. With a spark of magic flashing at her fingertips, the rune resonated, depicting several emblems projected onto the very air itself: the official seal of the P.R.P's Inner Council, the insignia of the O.S.A's upper management, and a brief statement of official recognition by the local law-enforcement of Sanctum Mesa as an independent operating authority, several signed statements from Terra Sancta's upper leadership...

```
"An official on very official business, one could say."
"But I would guess you need a more plain answer. I am a member of the management of the O.S.A. Sobriquet: White September."```

The whole nine *Miles.* She was a big-shot, all right — maybe even the *Biggest* In this entire crowd. Unlike Lueur, she wasn't just a representative of a higher authority over the festival — she herself *Was* The authority, and a well-connected one, at that.
Michelle
```
"That's...!"
```

...He hesitated, his brow furrowing further. Frustration seethed beneath the surface of his skin as he steeled his resolve...

```
"But your position of authority is no means to just—!... Or, well..."
"Whoever you may be, that doesn't mean you can excuse violence in this crowd. Regardless of... Regardless! I can't just let this pass by unaddressed. What if they—"
```
Tiana
***"Matteo!"***
Emerging from amidst the ever-growing crowd that was now onlooking the spectacle, a figure cried out.
"God bless your soul. You always seem to draw the short straw, Matteo."
"**Let it go.** *Questa non è una battaglia che puoi vincere.*"
"*Dobbiamo prepararci per l'arrivo del Vicario, ricordi?* We should move on, Matteo." 

Throwing her arm forcefully around the man's neck, she led him out from amidst the crowd, disappearing back into the Festival...
Deborah
```
"Full of courage. He does not bow down for a one, no?"
"Shame that he is already a member of the 𝘉𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘢."
"A true shame."```

Pocketing the business-card, she took a drag of her pipe.

```
"In any case, you lot are the first ones to try anything interesting." The woman now directly addressed the group that Matteo hoped to throw out, her exact disposition toward them concealed by her distant aura and the concealment of her dark glasses. "As much as I softened the words used to describe your little... Scuffle, yes — it's still a matter that needs tending to."

"Let's start with your names..."
"And that goes for you too!" —she hollered, pointing toward Kuouo, who had taken the liberty of leaving early.

```
Bonnie
*"The names William, I reckon you want the full name so it's William Rojas." Pointing towards Athena and max saying "These two are my comrades mainly the witch lady"*
Maureen
"Heya, Im Athena Ayaakiko"
William
*She continued to watch the group from her alleyway, eyebrows briefly raised at the interruptions both that man and that woman exchanged as despite both their high authority they seemed to butt heads a bit. One obviously was recognizable as someone affiliated with O.S.A. Which was something to pique her interest, yet not enough to draw her out from the dark cover that the buildings gave.*
Carl
"....*With intent to kill?*"

It doesn't matter who it is, she's not going to stand for people dictating her personal intentions for her.


"I had no intention of killing this man, I simply wished to arrest him, mildly hurt him at *Worst*. I was forced into a fight in which I did not want to participate because he attacked first-I was acting in self-defense. Moreover, I had no intention of dragging on the fight and was about to cease when you had arrived. You make such bold claims, yet you do not bother to ask about prior context-" 

As an expert in law, she's pretty skilled in argumentation-sort of has to be with her job. She was about to go on more, but stopped when she saw the other woman drag him away from the crowd, just sighing, figuring there's no point.

That's when she turned to the white-haired woman.

"...Regardless, I am Rita Kanisuka. Hello."
Rosa
*Being startled by the two he tried to look for a shadow he could side step to and just run off like he usually does when faced with this situation but seeing no close exits he just turns to look Akuko incredibly nervous.* "My name is Max Bracken, and I'm sorry for all the violence I caused."
Jose
Kuouo tensed up his shoulders, his ear twitching at the scolding voice directed towards him. He furled his paws tightly in an attempt to try and ignore him as best as possible yet... The man's bark was increasingly piercing the bandit's ears. Growling, then sharply inhaling, Kuouo 180'd from the market stall about to raise even more hell. Causing such trouble was just in the goat boy's nature after all. 

**```
"You liste-"
```**

A stout woman had suddenly materialized from the crowd of onlookers, stepping into the idle ring and having a word with the impromptu referee hailing from the church a town over. Kuouo shut his mouth for once and took a step back, seeing as the elegant woman was arguing in their defense — Not just any woman, however, but apparently someone with soft words and a big stick. The bandit didn't pay attention to the local politics of Terra Sancta but he was informed enough that whatever she does carries big weight. At least, enough to get that meddling priest out of his fur. Nevertheless, the least he could do is give the lady his name for bailing him out. Who knows what would've happened if the *Actual* Authorities were alarmed.

```
"Yeah, yeah," Kuouo paced over to the small woman, slipping his paws into his pocket. "Ya don't gotta shout, I can hear ya from all the way over there ya know." He pulled his left paw out and tugged on his floppy ears. "But the name's Kuouo Aiche Dee, make sure ya don't forget it." He chuckled lowly, managing to contain his rage towards the swordswoman who dared to put him in cuffs under a cool facade as possible opportunity presented itself. 
```