Train of the Waltz - The First Agenda

Celuvix Novox · Jan 10, 2007

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Timestamp)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>The forty-ninth day within Mia, year 81381. Far within the snow blurred jidp-sena of Trilok, a raging bullet screams underneath clouds of furious frost. Within this tumultuous night, an alpha female under a changing mask speaks of a hidden future for one young 'Dragon lounging in the convenience of the past. Peaceful times have come to an end, and it has come for the winds of change and stirring storms of troubled times to churn once again...</td></tr></table>

Snowstorms. Their seemingly living wrath would never waken unless someone would be burdened by their pestering, blowhard clouds and aggravating flakes of frost. A cold light from the heavenly night body was barely enough to light the way amongst sheets of powdered flakes and the sky's falling ice, painting the snowy Vjysti plains a blurred and calming midnight blue. Its winds were deafening, howling over plains that gave little to no resistance to the peerless drafts. Just a little harder, listening just a bit more, one could barely taste the grinding crush of churning gears, or feel a roaring hum amongst the chest from a powerful engine.

Deeper, further amongst the plains, a pulse of fading white light screamed across an empty stretch of snow through the storm that buried everything with its fresh new snow, a long and darkened haze trailing behind the light as a snake careening without end through. Closer still, fleeting rectangles of soft, yellow light could be seen zipping past at speeds too quick to be fixed on. At a larger scheme, the lights were part of the darkened beast that slid throughout the plains. A powerful rumble hummed from its entire length, a dimly glowing pulse of blue lines trailing the high-speed rectangle's exterior. It was a train, and a quite fast one at that. Steam rose from the bottom of the roaring beast, hissing while melting only a small sheet of ice and snow from the ground as the circuitry of an eerie blue glow hummed near the bottom. Most of the windows were covered by curtains or silver window shades, but the few windows that were open gave a glimpse of luxury at an awe-inspiring glow.

Within the train, not a single snowstorm's fury could be heard, and the streaks of streaming white snowflakes were being left years behind decorated the view of the outside night. Chandeliers blossomed from the ceilings of the train's luxurious cars, their lights and elegantly curved golden arches pouring a gentle light by dozens of candles, the graceful fixtures giving only a hint of swaying with the train's small turns. Plush, beige upholstery draped by red and golden bordered banners amongst deeper crimson cushions would reach the horizon if not blocked by the occasional silver wall, the seats arranged in circles and curves that would accommodate gratuitous walking space and painstakingly glossed wooden tables.

Most of the patrons looked to be of social status elite amongst nobility, the time-tested stigma of the old rich. These were no mere wealthy businessmen or heirs, but those of whom fortune itself pumped through their veins. Through the low hum of the train's powerful engine, the sound of a slow waltz bounced from far within the train's many cars. Past the many red velvet covered seats of the dining areas, beyond the tall, crimson and gold plated residential cabins, there was another section of the train that was sealed off to even the wealthy passengers at the front. It was not because of their status or the would-be substantial cost, but because of what rest inside.

One large silver hatch would bar the rest of the train from the elegance of the waltz, the full flavor of the one-two one-two-three that called from the rear. Occasionally the round hatch-handled door would slowly grind in a few complete turns, changing the simple silver dome door into a blue-glowing surface that hissed with steam. Rather than be swung open, the hatch would rise and slide away from itself into the walls of the train, the enchantment of the waltz spilling into the other cabins with an aroma of sophistication. Inside was a completely different atmosphere, a darker and more calming hue of violet.

Within the farthest cars of the waltzing train, thick streams of fruit-scented smoke would swerve and sway throughout the air into the briefly opening silver hatch. Inside, only a few hints of indigo light gave sight to the completely violet-toned cabins. Most of the patrons were either asleep or taking to their own private conversations amongst the darkness, the occasional drag of burning embers from intricately designed glass spheres lighting near their calmly placed hands and paws. Though many of the patrons within the Violet Cabins looked to be of the same refined wealth as those within the Crimson Cars, there was obvious mixed company. The area was too darkened to be certain, but quire of few of the patrons looked to be dressed of varied uncouth professions, while some looked downright shady from what faint glimpses could be discerned.

One table rest amongst a random car within the Velvet Cabins, no different from any of the other tables that spoke with hushed voices of deep secrets. The occupants of the table had but two paws in view; lit only by what little light could peek in through the only opened window from the storm-skewed lunar light. Black, seed-curved claws decorated with erratic slash marks of painted yellow and various gem adorned rings would idly sway amongst crystallized platters of partially eaten food and rarely sipped drink.

"Mr. Novox, please. Rest yourself, drink. You are within good company." a lulling, deep, yet feminine voiced offered within the darkness, the sound of chiming jewelry ringing as the owner of the paws shifted her posture. The paws were slowly slimming as one of the other occupants pulled their curtain closed, almost appearing as dark-blue fingers before the light became too dim to see. At the sound of another body taking its seat amongst their company, the table became lit by the slightly brighter ebb of a chrome-blue tail flame that gave only a small illumination to the smoky mist amongst the table. A hand moved over the tail flame, just finished with pulling on a white glove traced with small, black stitches of roses. After the visitor's eyes began to adjust, the hand retreated to the table once again, two elbows resting against the poorly lit surface.

A mask spoke underneath the pomp and circumstance of the waltz, a conversation that would not have been heard too distant from the table. "I would like to thank you for attending to our summons, albeit such short notice. Situations haveÂ…arisen that require a hastening of your test. PossiblyÂ…a quick employment rather than our usual waiting period." the voice cooed again. It looked to be a woman's head perched amongst lazily supporting gloved hands, leaning over the table and staring through the darkened holes of the mask towards her visitor. Fur--or hair, for its length and sheen--would cascade down the slivers of skin not covered by the mask, streaming down in long curls that would drag into long 'S' trails of violet-tainted red, blanketing a dimmed away blouse that exposed a family's fortune of a gemstone amongst a necklace. Sitting at her side and next to the visitor were two others dressed nearly the same, though they kept themselves out of view. It was the visitor that gave the chrome-blue light of his tail flame, but all that could be seen of him as he sat respectfully at the table was the tail itself.

"Not at all. It is my application, after all." the visitor that sat across the table from the leading female replied, extending an explaining "hand". Though it was in the same five-fingered, ancient inhabitant mocking fashion, the hand was much wilder. It was larger, more muscular than an average maleÂ’s hand with an azure tint amongst the palm, the rest of the hand covered with a light taint of blue amongst platinum fur. The voice was soft spoken, put deeper and obviously male, wondering to himself at the end of his comment before continuing. Mr. Novox, he was called by the female under the mask.

"Mmm...though, is this really an appropriate place for our...issue?" Novox leaned forward, wrapping his fingers around the neck of a wine glass that sat next to his still tail. As he leaned forward, his face looked to be quite different from the flat appearance that the female's masks would suggest. His maw was that of a platinum fox, the bright and shining fur that came from closer light. A man of azure poured down his back into the darkness, the sides of his face covered by the splitting wild hairs that created a graceful ocean cascade of a curve on either side. His upper torso was covered by some sort of indiscernible uniform of some sort, a white long coat with broad shoulders bordered by blue at the seams. As he took a sip of the wine, leaning back into the darkness, the masked woman continued with her welcome.

"Worry not, young one. We have been keeping ourselves...secure for quite some time. Granted that you please our tastes within your initiation, it will become quite obvious of just how secure we are." the masked one trailed off with a small pause of silence, a hiss of fruit-scented smoke jetting across the table seductively.

"...Thank you." Novox awkwardly replied after the silence. He placed the glass back on the table, secretly squirming in the darkness from the bitter, vinegar tainted taste.

"On behalf of our superiors, I would like to welcome you as an initiate to our...freelance organization. The organization has been looking for youths with just your...talents and interests. You will not regret becoming an agent under our department, Mr. Novox. Especially with the turning winds of change...the search for problem solvers like you has become quite demanding."

"Problem solvers, you say..." Novox wondered, thinking about his position. It had been months since he last had to work, since the last time that he had to go in search of the ever-longed for machina amongst ruins lost by time. For most of his time since the last big paying recovery, he was spending most of the idle time with his brother, refurbishing machina and repairing small town and country contraptions quite cheaply just to keep himself occupied. Payment was not much of an issue these days, not at all. The rumors, however, caught his interest. Machina junkies ruin explorers, archaeologists, and explorers of all kinds would have had at least some recollection if not a slight whisper of an organization that hired freelance experts. Only the crÃ¨me of the crop would be accepted from various facets of machina recovery and research, which was only one part of their dealings. Only a few dozen times in his life, Celuvix Novox found himself in slight competition with ruthless freelance agents of the secret organization, often ending in a stalemate or a mutual agreement. Was that how the organization found him? Had they been watching him since the long past years since he first met their elite agents? Maybe before that?

"I see the same hesitation that I saw when I ran into you inside the Nyonge." the masked woman giggled, a similar echo of a chuckle coming from the masked agent behind him.

"Wh--"

"Disregard that, Mr. Novox. I am known as agent Fern, just Fern. Your work, the pieces that you've recovered, and your research. All of your notable work has pleased my superiors. Rarely do initiates outside of the handpicked crop have so many people buzzing about them. I was almost fired for not picking you up long before you requested to join...he should have been an initiate years ago, they said. "

"Ah...er. Sorry, I suppose?" Celuvix weakly apologized, not knowing if she was silent out of slow speaking, or waiting for him to reply.

"Never you mind that, young one. I still have a career, and if all goes well...myself and my two associates here will be in a quite better position if you succeed."

"Succeed?"

"Yes. Your first assignment is your initiation, and your initiation will bind you to service of our organization. Indefinitely. You are allowed to keep your past ties, and we will not drag your from your previous organizations, but when we beckon, you must respond immediately. There will be no time to think, and I will not ask more than once."

"Will not ask more than--?"

"Do you wish to join us, or will you go about your business?"

Train of the Waltz - The First Agenda

Celuvix Novox Adept

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