Welcome to Gaia! ::

Azana yawned, stretching as she awoke to the familiar sight of the Inn, her GMO badge still lodged in the opposite wall. At the foot of her bed was curled Moonbeam, who awoke with a stretch of her own as if she knew it was time to get up.

"You seem to be making yourself at home," she said to the cat, who simply offered a soft meow in return. She slid out of bed, walking over to the badge and taking hold. Tugging with all her might, Azana struggled to get the badge out of the wall, only to find herself on the ground as it finally came loose. She sat back up, wincing as she rubbed her sore back.

"Geez...just how angry was I?" She asked, looking down at it. It wasn't even scratched, though her recent efforts bent it slightly. James had done the favor the previous evening of de-activating it entirely; the last thing she wanted was an angry GMO operative tearing up the Inn to find her. It didn't take long to dress again, and she walked down the hall towards the stairs to find the scent of pancakes. A smile crept across her face as she rushed down the stairs.

"Sosol," she said with a smile, "you really didn't have to."
"You've got a lot to do today, right...? Can't work as well with an empty stomach." Sosol replied, grinning a moment before yawning. He had been up practically all night, partially from worry, but also partially from thoughts that wouldn't flee his mind. Now wasn't the time to deal with them, though, he finally concluded in the early morning hours. Ever since, he had been getting the Inn ready, cooking breakfast...anything to distract him.

"I guess you're right about that...it's just...been a while since you made me breakfast," Azana thought back...most of her missions had her up at night, so breakfast was a rarity, as morning came to be her bedtime. The last time they had had pancakes together was...

The first morning he lived with me... The thought filled her with joy as she took the first few bites, each just as wonderful as the first time.

Azana waved to Kageko with a smile. "Hey! It's been a while!" She called before taking another bite...he arguably made them better than Zulma, and that was saying something. "What have you been up to...?"

Sosol had made himself a plate and was about to sit down, but there was still enough batter for another round. "Would you like to join us...?" He asked, holding up the spatula.

Sosol replied with a simple nod and took the pancake batter back to the refrigerator, overhearing the question and wincing slightly. This wasn't going to end well...

The question hit Azana like a ton of bricks to the stomach. She coughed on her pancake for a moment before swallowing it down and recovering her composure. "Eh heh...I suppose you could say that..." She said, obviously a bit put off by the question. "What is it that you're needing...?"

Azana thought carefully...it had been a relatively stressful few weeks with everything going on. Out in the mountains...

"There was a rumor, if memory serves...the GMO has a liaison with the remains of S-Corp. Someone else was assigned to the "Missing Santa" case, so I don't know all the details, but the mission was successful." She took a sip of the orange juice that Sosol had served with breakfast, wondering when he'd return to this somewhat awkward situation.

"The rumor, and this seems pretty outlandish and therefore must be the truth...is that they found Santa. And Jack. And our Robo-Rabbit. Hiding together in the mountains..." The memory of the rumor was becoming more and more vivid as she told the story; she remembered that she dreaded this rumor and the hard work it suggested.

"They were freezing, but terrified of leaving their cavern hideaway. All they said is 'he's coming'." Her eyes grew distant, haunted...and it put everything in perspective. She was worried about her own personal problems, and problems on the human level...but something that had even Jack himself scared...

Even when she stopped Stevenson (when, not if, she reminded herself), something else was on the horizon...they'd have little time to rebuild the GMO to prepare for it.

"That's all I have on it, at the moment, as it wasn't my assignment...I could continue scouting the GMO rumor mill...see if anything comes up," Azana said at last, a rather bold lie for the time being, but with any hope...she'd turn it into reality.

"Perceptive as always, Kageko," Azana replied with a smirk, leaning an elbow on the table and taking another sip of juice, "and I know you're always willing to help...I may actually need it."

Sosol emerged from the back rooms of the Inn, sitting down and working on his pancakes calmly. How could he have forgotten...? Kageko teamed up with Azana during the Eden Forsaken incident; she was very capable, and had no qualms about being in the epicenter. Considering all the friends Azana had made since the Cult Clash...

She had built herself a miniature army. There are things to be said about networking...

"I'm in a bit of hot water, so to speak," Azana started. "My investigations have hit closer to home...way closer...than I thought..." She proceeded to unravel her tale to Kageko...of her Uncle's treachery, of his plans and his turning the GMO on her...of her plans to take him out, and the fact that they moved first, rendering her homeless.

"One of my outfits still smells like smoke..." Azana said with a shake of her head, updating to that day. "I've still got James on the inside, but it won't take long for them to recognize our friendship..."

Sosol chimed in at this point. "She's been talking to some of her contacts outside the GMO, trying to rally support...because, well, this is definitely one she can't pull off by herself."

((OOC: Not in explanation, nope! Sosol basically saw the end of the current GMO by her hand, specifically the death of Charles Stevenson, current Chairman of the organization.))

Azana gave a nod. "He is...but he's scared. The Oracles, Sosol here included, had a rather vivid prophecy of his death and the fall of the GMO. I supposedly deliver that strike. So, either he's trying to stop me first, or delay me long enough to finish his plans and disappear."

"And as for information," James said, appearing in the doorway with his laptop and a briefcase, "you're lookin' at it!"

"How long were you waiting out there...?" Azana asked, smirking at him slyly.

"Come on! I have to have a cool entrance sometimes..." James replied, finding a seat near the trio. "James 'Tech' Taylor, GMO Labs, MagiTech department. Nice to meet you."

Azana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "As for what he did in the past...I honestly have no clues as to what that has to do with his current plans. Except, maybe, that my...Anthony and Priscilla were in his way. It sure gives me the motivation to stop him, though, doesn't it?"

"In danger? Of course. Kicked out? Never," James replied with a wink, opening his laptop. "I'm the best thing that happened to their R&D department...the worst they might do is take away my toys and keep me in a room somewhere."

Azana took a deep breath as she contemplated the options Kageko presented, finally settling on, "a combination of one, two, and four, I guess? I'll have to face them sooner or later, but it would help to find a place where they wouldn't come knocking for me. Not to mention getting a little back up for storming their castle. Not a literal castle...I promise."

Kageko's last question was one that hadn't really crossed her mind. She stopped, finishing her orange juice as she contemplated it. "Well, I've been waiting years for this...but I'm sure Stella will hate me forever if I go through with it. For now, I'm really just playing it by ear...it's how I do my best work."

Sosol smiled at Azana, finding it rather comforting that she wasn't the sort to simply accept prophecies and fate blindly. One secret of the Oracles was that the future was constantly shifting; sure, their vivid prophecies were usually dead-on, but all the details are in flux. He knew he did not factor into it much, especially since he was no fighter, but he'd help where he could. And when this was over...when they were free again...maybe...

((Gonna run soon...))