On Silent Wings

It was springtime as usual in the Kingdom of Alnora, a spring island in the first half of the grand line. It was raining, as it did often during the spring. The island was of moderate size, with two major cities and a number of towns both big and small. It was a rich kingdom, known for as the home for a number of Mercenary Legions that they hired out around the world. It was a great place to live...

If you were rich.

The bright side of Alnora disguised one that was just as dark. While it was a rich kingdom, only those that were rich themselves prospered. The lower class was heavily taxed, and most were in severe debt to the kingdom. those that did well only did so because they had made friends with the local government officials. The rest were basically owned by the company store. They had enough money to spend on the local amenities, but none had any true freedom. Just enough money to keep the economy going, that was the philosophy of the kingdom. The rest just went to make the already wealthy wealthier.

The Gunpowder Plot
Most of this district was dead in the early evening, people still not home from work yet. The miners were still mining, the shippers still shipping, and the merchants still merching. But at least one tavern in this section of the Capital city of Alara was busy, music playing and people dancing on a foreigner's coin. For the last few days rumours had been flitting around the underworld of the city about a job coming up for those willing to take the risk. A big job, many were interested at first, but the rumours also contained a lot of negative information as well. This job was dangerous and may cause the people involved to no longer be able to live in the kingdom. A chance for wealth like they had been denied so long, yet at the same time a chance for them to never be able to go home again. All they needed to do in order to sign up was to go to a specific bar at a specific time.

Phim D. Sera sat in the corner of the bar, in a private room near the band. The noise allowed her to keep any conversations she had private. Privacy was paramount in this regard, as she had a bounty on her head, and what she had planned was anything but legal. A plot of gunpowder and treason, and a treasure beyond. She took a drink from her mug, some amber liquid within.

She had a plan, now she just hoped enough people showed up in order for her to go through with it.

Upon the stage within the bar stood a man carrying a trumpet. He tapped the mic, making sure it was in working order. "Hey everyone I'm Nathaniel and I'm going to be playing the trumpet for you all. Hope you like Jazz." He stepped back, bringing the trumpet to his lips as he blew into it. The noise it made was haunting, almost otherworldly. The song portrayed as sadness that no one could quite place but almost all could vibe with. The patrons swayed to the music as they continued their usual conversation.

Sitting at a table at the far back of the bar was a beautiful lady, she was seemingly working on a machine which was odd enough but she also had what seemed to be a robotic arm. She lifts her glasses as she listens to the enchanting music of the man on the stage. "Wow, that's sounds wonderful so haunting but yet so beautiful, I wonder if he would let me improve that trumpet I can amplify and improve that sound ten fold". She says as she continues to work on her gadgets. Soon the gadget starts to twitch and almost like a bird it flies upon her shoulder like a parrot upon a pirates shoulder. "Hey little guy, looks like your all fixed up and working but just in case run a full scan of your systems and functioning". She says closing up her tools and petting the bird on her shoulder

Much to Sera's side stood none other than her very companion and crewmate, Brisei Augus, who sat on a chair at the corner of the room. "Ugh," Bandages still covered his body, "Do you really think these people will come, Cap?" Augus gestured at Sera and slouched more over the chair, that battle sure went more wrong for him than for Sera, but, not someone he would beat himself over.

Unlike his captain, Augus was already finished with whatever food and beverage he had ordered prior to the proper meeting, he had energy to recover after all.

The atmosphere of the bar changed quickly when the music abruptly stopped in response to a new visitor, who stood near the doorway. This woman was absolutely massive, and she was visibly stooped down to avoid brushing the ceiling of the establishment, even though it was at least 15 feet high. Clearly, she was an oddity; she possessed skin with the hue of a green olive, and brown freckles dotted her face and shoulders. Other than her height, her other most outstanding trait was the discernible gills that were on either side of her neck.

Apparently gleefully oblivious of the attention she gained, she scooted her way over to the bar, careful not to knock anything over. Being much too big for a bar chair, she sat at the end off the bar on the ground, looking like a lost tourist as she beamed happily.

"Heyheyheyheyhey~! How's everyone!"

The moment of silence that everyone had felt had been disrupted by a loud voice. One can assume that no one enjoyed such sudden burst loudness, no matter how cheery it seemed. Everyone's eyes went from the giant woman to this... person.

As soon as the door panels burst opened, the woman had entered — giving off a somewhat positive vibe, despite looking average. Spotting the giant woman, she quickly went to their side. For some reason, she was more chipper than normal, but from the look of things, she was a doctor — rather obvious by the medical bag held in her hand, her white lab coat, and the stethoscope hanging around her neck.

Though Perserius Lamia was aware she was "front and center", she didn't mind and went about her business. The only thing that mattered to her was the person she was going towards, which she knew for quite a while.

"Hey, sorry about that! I'm just in a very good mood today. I got lucky with some supplies I found in town. Helps me make some new medicine~!"

She seemed... flighty. But her happiness was well-founded, given her profession. She found some good supplies for a good deal, so who wouldn't be happy? As soon as she reached the bar, she ordered four shots of Hennessey and a glass of water. The bartender pouring her order and slide to her, she downed all four in an instant and slowly drank her water — the alcohol reaching her brain quickly, and needed something to mitigate the liquor that hit her brain.

"Anyways, drinks in me aside, how're my favorite people doing?" She said looking at the rest of the people she knew. "Especially you, big girl!" She said looking at the giant woman next to her.