AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
a heavy gaze lifts up from the leather scheduler on his desk, pen freezing in its flitting across papers.
[break][break]
"thanks, that'll be all."
[break][break]
a dismissal to the secretary as he stands.
[break][break]
"ana, when is it not?"
[break][break]
he smiles, warm and polite; never reaching cordial with anyone.


[break][break]

ANA STONE

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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[break]
[newclass=.one .setting]background-image:url(https://i.ibb.co/x1RdYHQ/gibby3.png); background-size:cover; background-position: bottom; filter:saturate(110%); height:150px; width:400px; margin:10px auto 20px; [/newclass]

HM...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
he hands the woman the unsealed envelope, giving her an unreadable look.
[break][break]
"read it."
[break][break]
inside, she would find some surprising information.
[break]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

HM...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
he resists the urge to look around at the behest of his own question; further so, when she notes the particular lack of life that dwells within'.
[break][break]
"it is."
[break][break]
denying what was right in front of him would get him no where. the idea that it was empty, was uncomfortable. but, there was good reason for it.
[break][break]
"not even my son, uriah, stays here often. he prefers his own private dwellings elsewhere."
[break][break]
the corner of a lip sparks to life for the faintest, briefest of moments. the stone giant's facade cracking ever so slightly.
[break][break]
"though, he thinks i don't know where that place is. he still has much to learn, you see."
[break][break]

his face returns to the same stoic expression it so customarily holds. with one hand, he reaches into his jacket pocket, and pulls out the surprisingly well-ripped envelope she had delivered earlier that night.
[break][break]
"you didn't read this letter, did you?"

[break][break]
[break]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

VEIL OF NEON LIGHTS...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
gabriel nods with the man's conclusions, eyes lifting to meet the display of light, and electricity.
[break][break]
"very well. i've no shortage of the capture devices, so harry them quickly, and effectively to my location."[break][break]

@atticus

[attr="class","credit"]milky

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[break]
[newclass=.one .setting]background-image:url(https://i.ibb.co/x1RdYHQ/gibby3.png); background-size:cover; background-position: bottom; filter:saturate(110%); height:150px; width:400px; margin:10px auto 20px; [/newclass]

A BUSINESS MEETING...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
he took theo's silence for what it was, and nothing more. despite their small friendship, he knew theo understood the simple concept: business is business.
[break][break]
there could be nothing that gets in the way of that. if there was anything gabriel prized most of all, it was his ambition.
[break][break]
"i appreciate it."
[break][break]
a sip of his his coffee, and a tongue trails whites.
[break][break]
"nothing much, for now. i simply aim to spend the new few months refocusing the efforts of my new acquisition, and ensure the finances remain in the green."
[break]

THEO BECKETT

[newclass=.gab1]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]

[newclass=.gab1]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]

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[break]

[newclass=.gab1 .setting]background-image:url(https://i.ibb.co/Dr17BNL/gibby2.png); background-size:cover; background-position: bottom; filter:saturate(110%); height:150px; width:400px; margin:10px auto 20px; [/newclass]

LATE AT NIGHT...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
his nod is nigh the only indication he'd heard her, as he delves deeper into the mindless action of making the pizza from scratch. in some ways, nina's small, delicate fingers had an advantage in areas like this. though, he couldn't deny the gorilla grip helped in the beginning.
[break][break]
"i understand the importance of privacy, so feel free to keep your other place, or move between them how you like."
[break][break]
satisfied, he returns the previously stirred pan to a position nearby.
[break][break]
"i've hired a new assistant, Suzume Amemiya . reach out to her with any issues, should you be unable to contact myself."
[break][break]

the ladle is lifted, and sauce drips from it in troughs.
[break][break]
"is there anything you require to may your stay more comfortable?"



[break]

VEIL OF NEON LIGHTS...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
he's whole fully unimpressed by the display ahead of him. he wouldn't be here at all, if his ambitions didn't first require the greasing of wheels to get started.
[break][break]
he thinks to URIAH BLACK's statement of acceptance, and suppresses a heavy sigh.
[break][break]
"they did not. they gave very little, in the way of information, in-fact."
[break][break]

@atticus

[attr="class","credit"]milky

[newclass=.one]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]
[newclass=.one]color:var(--accent);[/newclass]
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[break]
[newclass=.one .setting]background-image:url(https://i.ibb.co/x1RdYHQ/gibby3.png); background-size:cover; background-position: bottom; filter:saturate(110%); height:150px; width:400px; margin:10px auto 20px; [/newclass]

HM...[break]

[attr="class","setting"]

[break]
the staff leaves them as they stand to depart. duties to be fulfilled; a presence better out of the lions sight.
[break][break]
they walk onwards and past the double-set of doors that lead further into the large house. heavy, but surprisingly quiet steps follow, as the pyroar maintain their distances.
[break][break]
despite the house's size, it was largely empty; hollow, and lifeless.
[break][break]
he's silent for a time, his face an unreadable, flat expression. only as they round a corner, passing one of the many cleaning staff, does he speak again.
[break][break]
"tell me, what do you think of the place?"
[break]

[break]

[attr="class","credit"]milky