Of Shadows and Light
A visit to the Onyx Lotus
Natalia Gioccone, before she set out to meet with Sprocket and so be transported to this sun-forsaken world of monsters and demons, had one final meeting with Clark Ionesco. The man in his impeccible suit, though easily appearing no older than she herself, was quite throughally her Elder in nearly every way. This meeting was simply to finalize what her goals would be, and what his directives were. Establish a haven. Meet with the locals. Establish links of trust to determine suitability for a company chapter. Establish allies.
"...Do you understand, Miss Gioccone?" he asked, finally.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Ionesco. I will do as you have requested, and to the best of my capabilities." She wanted to give him a dazzling smile. She couldn't. Her charms would never work on him anyway.
"See that you do, Miss Gioccone.." he started, turning somewhat in his plush, large leather chair. "..but even those capabilities might not be enough."
She was taken aback, then, and did not have to remember to blink before she blinked several times in disbelief. "You doubt my dedication, sir?"
"Of course not. What I doubt is you ability to handle this new world with just your own strength as your aegis. Sprocket has told me much of this world in the time since I had first ordered you there" Clark Ionesco paused, briefly.
Natalia nodded, wordlessly, waiting for him to finish.
"And now I will tell you a secret, Miss Gioccone. A secret that you will use only in the most dire of circumstances. The company you work for — my company — is part of several, spanning across multiples of worlds..."
"...Upon this world where you are to go, there is one. Another, much as us — though far, far different. Do not be misled by the commonplace appearance of her establishment. She is a creature of power, and one of resources. It is those resources that you might have need to tap."
"Be warned, Miss Gioccone. You must take every bit of your wit and charm and intellect with you if you are go down that road. She was shrewd, last we had heard of her, and unforgiving. The price for the assistance rendered could be smaller than you ever dreamed of — or far greater than you could have possibly imagined..."
"...I will tell you now, Miss Gioccone, what to say if you have need of her. Heed my words well, and now that if you have spoken them to the proper individual, then they will guide you from there..."
Several Weeks Later, After the Arrival
Natalia Gioccone now stood outside the Onyx Lotus, situated two blocks over and down the street from her apartment on the corner of Veith and Kloran. The night was pressing on, but she could see the faint burning of lights inside.
It would be dark. How quaint.
Pencil skirt and tailored blazer were, tonight, colored a deep navy with gray pinstripes. A soft blouse worn beneath was a luminious white to off-set the suit itself. Elegant pumps and silk stockings completed her attire — with, of course, the leather briefcase she had at all times, locked with the dual combinations of individual spinning tumblers beneath either latch.
Pushing her way inside, her eyes swept quickly from left to right, and then right to left back; the soft click-clack-click of heels striking a slow and calculated cadence against the flooring like a metronome keeping time. A hanger-on was shuffling about, "browsing" no doubt beneath the watchful eye of the languid cat that sat perched atop the counter at the far end of the room.
With the rasp of polyester skirt over silk stockings, she walked deeper inside, now toward that counter.
Natalia Gioccone, before she set out to meet with Sprocket and so be transported to this sun-forsaken world of monsters and demons, had one final meeting with Clark Ionesco. The man in his impeccible suit, though easily appearing no older than she herself, was quite throughally her Elder in nearly every way. This meeting was simply to finalize what her goals would be, and what his directives were. Establish a haven. Meet with the locals. Establish links of trust to determine suitability for a company chapter. Establish allies.
"...Do you understand, Miss Gioccone?" he asked, finally.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Ionesco. I will do as you have requested, and to the best of my capabilities." She wanted to give him a dazzling smile. She couldn't. Her charms would never work on him anyway.
"See that you do, Miss Gioccone.." he started, turning somewhat in his plush, large leather chair. "..but even those capabilities might not be enough."
She was taken aback, then, and did not have to remember to blink before she blinked several times in disbelief. "You doubt my dedication, sir?"
"Of course not. What I doubt is you ability to handle this new world with just your own strength as your aegis. Sprocket has told me much of this world in the time since I had first ordered you there" Clark Ionesco paused, briefly.
Natalia nodded, wordlessly, waiting for him to finish.
"And now I will tell you a secret, Miss Gioccone. A secret that you will use only in the most dire of circumstances. The company you work for — my company — is part of several, spanning across multiples of worlds..."
"...Upon this world where you are to go, there is one. Another, much as us — though far, far different. Do not be misled by the commonplace appearance of her establishment. She is a creature of power, and one of resources. It is those resources that you might have need to tap."
"Be warned, Miss Gioccone. You must take every bit of your wit and charm and intellect with you if you are go down that road. She was shrewd, last we had heard of her, and unforgiving. The price for the assistance rendered could be smaller than you ever dreamed of — or far greater than you could have possibly imagined..."
"...I will tell you now, Miss Gioccone, what to say if you have need of her. Heed my words well, and now that if you have spoken them to the proper individual, then they will guide you from there..."
Several Weeks Later, After the Arrival
Natalia Gioccone now stood outside the Onyx Lotus, situated two blocks over and down the street from her apartment on the corner of Veith and Kloran. The night was pressing on, but she could see the faint burning of lights inside.
It would be dark. How quaint.
Pencil skirt and tailored blazer were, tonight, colored a deep navy with gray pinstripes. A soft blouse worn beneath was a luminious white to off-set the suit itself. Elegant pumps and silk stockings completed her attire — with, of course, the leather briefcase she had at all times, locked with the dual combinations of individual spinning tumblers beneath either latch.
Pushing her way inside, her eyes swept quickly from left to right, and then right to left back; the soft click-clack-click of heels striking a slow and calculated cadence against the flooring like a metronome keeping time. A hanger-on was shuffling about, "browsing" no doubt beneath the watchful eye of the languid cat that sat perched atop the counter at the far end of the room.
With the rasp of polyester skirt over silk stockings, she walked deeper inside, now toward that counter.