City of Oasis

[That Violin Guy he/him]

5 minutes ago, Sherlock Holmes said:

"Pretty good," she said. "You?"

"Apart from the fact that I'm in a constant war with my sister? Pretty good." Avalon replied.

Edited September 20, 2019 by Oduim's Chmapion

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

36 minutes ago, Oduim's Chmapion said:

"Apart from the fact that I'm in a constant war with my sister? Pretty good." Avalon replied.

"Ah, well," Tena said. "Sounds not so great."

[That Violin Guy he/him]

6 minutes ago, Sherlock Holmes said:

"Ah, well," Tena said. "Sounds not so great."

"After a few years you get used to it." Avalon said. "Anyway whats up with you?"

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

24 minutes ago, Oduim's Chmapion said:

"After a few years you get used to it." Avalon said. "Anyway whats up with you?"

"Just told my husband here that I'm pregnant again," Tena said. "Waiting for the awards ceremony. Seeing the excitement on a greenie's face when they get promoted is always a joy."

[+Ark1002]

Anthony tapped Tena on the shoulder

"I'm going to talk to some people."

He walked away, and approached Tels and Mari.

@Truthless of Shinovar @kenod

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

1 hour ago, Ark1002 said:

Anthony tapped Tena on the shoulder

"I'm going to talk to some people."

He walked away, and approached Tels and Mari.

@Truthless of Shinovar @kenod

Tena nodded and watched as he walked off, hoping that he didn't get drunk again. He was a big oaf to deal with when he was.

[Truthless of Shinovar he/him]

3 hours ago, Ark1002 said:

Anthony tapped Tena on the shoulder

"I'm going to talk to some people."

He walked away, and approached Tels and Mari.

@Truthless of Shinovar @kenod

“Evening, how are you doing?” Tels said to the newcomer. “Me and Mari here were just talking about how murderous the Alleyverse is! Fine talk for a Ghostblood convention, don’t you think?”

[kenod]

Mari gave a nod to the newcomer, hiding her displeasure at how Tels was talking. It felt rather inappropriate to her, even if it was their job.

[little wheel he/him]

Talas leaned against the wall, hidden behind a pillar. A his face was covered entirely with a black ceramic mask with human features, golden vines swirling around his eyes. No one knew he was here. Not his wife, not his mother, no one. He had a dedicated slouch to his back and was doing his best to go unnoticed, and succeeding for the most part. A waiter passed by with a platter of drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and he scowled at him behind the mask. Black silk gloves went up to his elbows and his hair was up in a bun beneath his tricorn hat. A white morning jacket with golden embroidery and a black silk shirt beneath covered his chest and tattered black jeans were on his legs. Bare foot, however. He padded lightly to a window and opened it, climbing out and standing on top of the sill. He gathered all of his power into his legs and leaped straight up, grabbing the next handhold and continuing upwards to the roof.

[+Sorana she/her]

Zokora stepped out on the stage and looked around over the crowd. She noted some of those that had fought bravely during the invasion, some others Althea had sent on missions. Some she hadn't seen before. She knew, she was the wrong one to be here, it should have been Althea, but Althea had decided to go to the ACE building, see what the expedition was about. And so it was her, so she was the one pushed on the stage.

"Welcome!"

She addressed the crowd and looked around.

"Welcome to Oasis and welcome to our annual celebration. Today we will talk about heros, we will talk about the brave souls, that fought for us. We honor those that do our work in the shadow and we will offer those that want to, a moment in the light."

Smiling she looked around, watched the assembled ones. "No matter, if you receive a promotion tonight, or not, all of you do fabulous work and I am proud to belong to the same guild. We are the Ghostbloods and we have earned our place here."

Too much, that last part had been too much. Why did Althea always push these tasks to her? She liked to work in the shadows, out of the shadows and stay there.

"I am proud, that I am the one to welcome you tonight, and I am more than proud to have the honor to announce Mr. Itiah. He will guide you through the evening." She stepped to the side, decided that she had said enough. "And here he is. Mr. Itiah."

She made sure to turn the micro off, and to remain smiling, when she turned to the man, that would take over. He could only be more comfortable in such a situation.

Quote

I hope it's alright Itiah, but I felt like we needed to start it in some way.

@Sherlock Holmes @Oduim's Chmapion @kenod @Truthless of Shinovar @bees? @AonEne

@I think I am here.

Edited September 21, 2019 by Sorana

[+Ark1002]

Anthony grinned darkly, and felt glad for the suppression of Hellbent's memory by Voice.

"I suppose it is. Yes, the Alleyverse is a dark place."

@Truthless of Shinovar @kenod

[I think I am here. he/him]

11 hours ago, Sorana said:

I hope it's alright Itiah, but I felt like we needed to start it in some way.

Quote

It's fine. I forgot

As Zokora started Mr. Itiah checked his watch. The smokestone had malfunctioned! He frowned for a second, maybe he'd have to get one of those metal-circle watches some day, even if they did look a bit odd, with all the gears and all. As Zokora finished Mr. Itiah flashed another smile at her and the audience and took his own microhone, switching it on.

"Thank you for that riveting introduction, Zokora!" He said and looked to the audience. Slowly, he made his way over to center stage, talking as he did so, running over the schedule in his mind. First up, the speech. Something about the beginning of the guild, how far they'd come. Gesturing slightly to Vio to begin the music ( @Oduim's Chmapion ), he also nodded slightly at the head chef and food began being prepared for after the promotions.

"You know, every time I look at this guild, attend one of these nights, I'm always caught off-guard by how far we've come. No, I don't me or you specifically, but us." He gestured to the crowd with a sweeping gesture, the Ghostblood tattoo on his palm reflecting the glow of various spotlights. "Sometimes, I remind myself we started out as simple assassins. That was all. An assassin guild before, but now, we've grown so much, endured and evolved over these long decades"

"Over the years, guilds have come and gone. We've seen the vanquishing of enemy guilds, like the Uninvested," the crowd chuckled lightly at the memory of the long-extinct guild. "And we've seen the birth of new guilds, like the Scholar's guild." He was about to mention the Church as another new guild, but reminding the audience of that probably wasn't a good move politically, even if they had mended that issue.

"And now look at us! Attending our own event in our own city, to celebrate the success of various Ghostbloods who have done wonders for both the organization and the world! Even in the Ajax Invasion, possibly the biggest event to strike the Alleyverse in 10 years, brave Ghostbloods not only contributed directly to the removal of the Vortex, but alos to the downfall of his army and the ending of the invasion." He smiled. "Not bad for what was once a simple assassin guild, right?"

"So," Mr. Itiah said, spotlights swiveling on him to emphasize his next words. "Without further ado, it's time to announce these Ghostbloods, who will be receiving a promotion through our ranks. After that, there will be a short break, before he announce the annual medals of honour and valour. Then, we party!" Mr. Itiah ended his speech and as the audience clapped in anticipation an underling ran to give Mr. Itiah a stack of certificates before leaving the stage.

"Let the promotions begin!"

[That Violin Guy he/him]

Vio noticed the gesture of the head Ghostblood and launched into, a complex sounding but simple soft tune.

[kenod]

11 hours ago, Ark1002 said:

Anthony grinned darkly, and felt glad for the suppression of Hellbent's memory by Voice.

"I suppose it is. Yes, the Alleyverse is a dark place."

@Truthless of Shinovar @kenod

Mari nodded in agreement. "Of course," she murmured, "the question is if our actions make it better or worse, isn't it?" She looked at the stage where the leaders were starting with all the speeches, curiosity getting the better of her.

[+Sorana she/her]

Mike poked Wes and Seom excitedly into their sides.

"They're starting." he whispered as he hoped that he wouldn't disturb them. Despite everything, it was nice to be here. To see his friends and the excitement, the curiosity in the room latched onto him as well. They would party afterwards. For get about all hardships, and maybe he could forget about fox and snake. Maybe he could simply exist and be good for day, maybe for an evening.

@I think I am here. @Sherlock Holmes

[+Ark1002]

Anthony turned as the speech began. He clapped when the crowd clapped, and waited, excited, to see who would be promoted today.

~-~-~-~-~

Ronin grinned lightly, not really caring who got promoted.

~-~-~-~-~

Ark watched, nodded at Mr. Itiah's speech. It was a fine one. Not by any means the best he had heard, but it was good.

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

A small woman with a neat brown ponytail watched the speech from near the podium, an excited expression on her face. @I think I am here.

[That Violin Guy he/him]

Avalon looked around and let Nila take control.

 

Nila watched everthing with a interested expression.

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

*gently nudges Itiah*

sorry, but we need you to finish your speech, so that we can start

@I think I am here.

[I think I am here. he/him]

Quote

You’re right. My bad

“And so without further ado, the first people to be promoted tonight are as follows:

Mr. Itiah squinted at his notes. Who the storms was Mustafa?

“Michael Austen! Wesley Miller! Seom! Zan! Anthony! Tels! Get up here and collect your certificates, and a promotion of Assassin I. You all are underlings no longer!”

The crowd went wild clapping and Wes paled. He’d been chosen?

[AonEne he/him]

7 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Who the storms was Mustafa?

Quote

Did Councilman Ark write this?  

 

[+Ark1002]

Quote

7 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Mr. Itiah squinted at his notes. Who the storms was Mustafa?

You just made my day with that.

Anthony felt the blood drain from his face. Me? Of all the people in the world, ME? He stumbled toward the stage, as if in a trance, and stood beside Mr. Itiah.

Ha! You, of all people. You'd be useless without me.

I told you to shut up, Voice.

[+Sorana she/her]

Mike. His name was Mike. He stared at the stage, at Mr. Itiah, at Wes, who had paled, Anthony who seemed to be excited? He wasn't sure. He heard the cheers, the clapping and something snapped.

He rushed towards the stage and climed on it, stepped to the front, so that they had to see him and then he lifted his arms, waited until the room was slightly quieter. He stood there, breathing hard, almost panting. For once he was alone, alone in his rage, in his fury. The pain, so much pain. Bella had known who he was, Bella had used his real name. Wes, Wes knew it, and maybe Seom.

"I decline!" He shouted in the room, and then it was quiet. "I decline." he repeated.

"I don't want this freaking promotion. My name is Mike. Mike! Not Michael, not Mustafa, not Monica and not Mary. It's M, I, K ,E! Mike."

Whirling around he stared at Mr. Itiah, at the righthand's assistant, at those that watched and observed.

"Is it too much, if I ask to be called by my name? By my real name? It's four letters. Nothing more, but four letters. I risk my life for you, I nearly died for you, and nobody here cares enough to remember my name." Shaking his hands formed fists and he fell silent, felt the tears running down his cheeks.

"I don't want this promotion. Give it to.... her." He pointed at a random person (= @kenod ). "I don't want it."

Turning around he stumbled of the stage.

Quote

Ax, start the assassination, when you want to.

@Sherlock Holmes @I think I am here.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Sorana

[That Violin Guy he/him]

Nila watched the proceedings with interest knowing what was going to happen next.

 

Vio Lin sensed the mood in the croud and switched to a quick lively tune.

[kenod]

Mari watched the man's breakdown, then flinched when he pointed at her, telling them to give her the promotion. She really hoped nobody was actually looking at her, instead focusing on him.