Downtime 4 - Anji

Anji heads into the Finance District for the first time. It was amazing...! Los Aasimar already seemed incredibly huge and towering compared Cityopolis, but the Finance District was an entirely different level.

The buildings here tower, reflecting a level of prestige not seen anywhere else in the city. As she follows the directions Korvus gave her, she reaches a section of the District with curving roads that lead to areas secluded by trees

As Anji reach the address and walked back such a path... and she was welcomed by a breathtaking sight.

A massive house, as wide as her mother's militia storehouse, but three stories tall, looms just in the clearing of the trees. It is encircled with immaculate topiaries and fountains, a dazzling sight of beauty to your eyes. There are tools floating around: trimming hedges, watering flowers, sweeping paths. And Anji sees an old elf walking up the path. "Ah, greetings. You must be Anji." The voice, while friendly, is shaky with age. Anji can't ever remember seeing an old elf before and ponders how old it must be. She also ponders if it is male or female - the distinction is unclear.

"This is impossibly huge!!! Anji's mouth drops open as she approaches the house, her eyes sparkle as she looks around at the landscaping. This is almost absurd...

The elf takes her by surprise, snapping her out of her awestruck state. "Oh! Hello!" she greets him, "Yes, I'm Anji! Um, what's your name?"

"My name is Cassidy." The elf gives a slight bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Do you have any bags I can take for you...?"

As Anji speaks with Cassidy, Penny and Garius come walking up the path, dumbstruck by the size and beauty of the property.

Garius lets out a low whistle. "This is... some place."

Penny stands back, trying not to gawk and failing miserably. This house is more magnificent than just about anything she'd ever seen. "Yeah.... that's one way to put it."

The elderly elf talking to Anji snaps a look to Garius and Penny. "Excuse me... this is private property! Who invited you here?"

Anji waves at Garius and Penny. "They're my friends!" she explains to Cassidy, "It's okay, I invited them!"

Penny waves back. Garius continues to walk, staring up at the giant trees, the magic floating tools, the towering building. "This is... wow, this is amazing Anji. This is yours?"

"Uh, yeah, kinda!" she explains, not entirely sure what to say. "My mom's friend said I could stay here as long as I'm in the city!"

"Must be nice to have friends like that..." Garius says, eyes still roaming the place.

Penny's eyes are just huge. "And you're... you're really sure it's alright for my family to stay here...?" she asks, voice weak.

Anji thought about Penny's question for a moment before turning to Cassidy. "Say, it's okay if Penny's family stays here, right?"

Cassidy responds, "Of course, madam. I have been instructed to give you total free reign of the estate. Including any guests or residents you would like to invite."

Anji gives a grin. "Ya hear that, Penny? It's okay with me and it's okay with my friend Cassidy!"

Penny, following Garius up and taking in the sights, replies  "That's really kind of you... Please, if there's anything at all I can do to help with.... anything. I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate this." Her eyes are already watering with tears.

Cassidy pipes up, in spite of the emotion of the moment. "Excuse, madam Honeycomb... you have not received a formal tour of the estate yet. Would you like to view it in its entirety?"

Anji smiles and nods, "Would you like to come with?" she asks Penny and Garius.

"I'd love to," Penny replies, her voice nearly breaking.

Garius looks stunned still. "Uh... sure... it's... man, it's big."

"Yeah... it sure is," Anji turns around to look at the building again, having already forgotten how huge it is.

As the group walks through the courtyard, the sight of the gardens span out past the front of the house and all the way down to the left and right of the house, a beautiful bouquet of flowers, bushes and fountains. They soon come up to the main entrance and realize that the door itself is easily two stories tall, an impressive arch you could ride a small boat through.

Cassidy pulls on the handle of the door and a full groan rings out as the giant gateway is opened.

Inside, the group is welcomed to the sight of beautiful marble floors decorated in elaborate designs, with two twin spiral staircases sprouting out of the floor and up to the second level.

Anji doesn't even comprehend how fancy this is. She's never seen marble outside government buildings and those fancy topiaries probably grow that way. "This place is huge...." she whispers, entering the building.

Penny is wide eyes all around, completely speechless and trying very hard to walk carefully. She has the feeling that she definitely doesn't belong in a place like this.

In true tour guide fashion, Cassidy begins to rattle off facts. "The estate was commissioned as part of the Royal House's summer home during trips away from Orden. It is rumored that King Gault the Third even held his court here during the Timbrault Rebellions of the Justinian Age." Cassidy is now walking at a brisk pace, gesturing to the rooms on the right.

Anji is running to keep up with Cassidy. Kings? What kings? Rebellions? What on earth...?

Cassidy continues, "In here are the Guest Halls, where dining and social events were historically hosted." The room is huge, with vaulted ceilings and, on one end, a number of pristine and immaculate on tables and chairs for dining, while on the other side an open area where people danced fancy dance things or something. "It was in this room that Prince Alderan bequeathed the estate to Parthy Bottomtooth, the magistrate of Los Aasimar at that time. It marked the moment when the estate left royal property and was owned by a permanent resident of the city."

"...is this home still owned by the Bottomtooth family?" Penny asks, guarded.

Anji whips her head to look at Penny. "It can't be!" she says, "Nobody named Bottomtooth said I could stay here."

Cassidy continues to walk briskly. "No, no, the Bottomtooth family fell into disfavor with the crown during the most recent Zipanganese incursions roughly 120 years ago. Despite the fact that Esplandia and Zipangu are now allies in trade and diplomacy, the families that originally suggested such a union were, unfortunately, branded as traitors to the nation and stripped of most of their possessions. The Bottomtooth's are now only a shadow of their former prestige. Now, in here..."

The three have entered a large hallway, each reaching down as far can be seen with rooms on both sides of the hall. "...are the living quarters for guests and other residents. They all are outfitted with late Umprilian Age design and the finest accompaniments, including imported Ordenese cotton." Anji and Penny could fit their entire apartment in just one of these rooms and have room for somersaults and there are countless numbers of them.

Penny begins to relax slightly. For a moment she was worried Anji had received this home from someone who a member of our team had bad blood with. That would have been awkward...but at this point, she is just massively overwhelmed by everything in this "home." It feels more like a museum or a palace than a home....

Cassidy continues with the tour... "Now, through these doors, you have the interior gardens..."

Penny interrupts, "So, then... who exactly does own the estate..?"

Cassidy continues, without missing a beat, "...you have a modest arrangement of botanicals. And, of course, a statue of Master Korvus Kragstaff." In this stunning garden, a bronze statue stands of a very human-esque half Orc, with tiny fangs and rough features betraying is heritage.

At the brisk pace Cassidy was keeping, Garius was struggling to keep up with his halfling form. He finally makes it outside, panting and it if breath. He leans up against the statue for support and looks up absently... "Julius' Jackalope! What's this place have a picture of Korvus fucking Kragstaff for?"

Penny jumps slightly at Garius' exclamation. She turns a look from him to Anji to Cassidy. "What's -- err -- I feel like I'm missing something..."

Garius looks around, nearly wild eyed. "Is this... is this his house? We need to go! NOW!"

Garius rushes over to Cassidy and shakes the elf's band. "Very nice to meet you, great tour, appreciate the workout, butweneedtobeleavingrightnowassoonaspossible!"

Garius herds Anji and Penny together and begins pushing both of them towards the exit.

Penny allows herself to be herded, very confused, towards the exit and out the door. "What -- who was that -- he looked familiar -- Garius what is going on?"

Anji chimed in"Yeah, what's happening? My mom's friend said I could stay here, not some mass murdering rampaging killer or something."

Despite the questions, Anji and Penny are quickly shoved, shimmied and shoveled by Garius until they are off the property. "Anji! How did you not tell us you inherited a house from psychopathic crime lord!"

Anji starts laughing, "He isn't a.... psychopathic... crime... lord...? He's my mom's friend!" This whole situation is just absurd.

Penny looks from Garius to Anji and back again, feeling all around overwhelmed and confused and - well - a little afraid. "If he's as bad as you say... We need to find somewhere else for my family to stay."

"As as bad I say...? Penny, do you not remember Korvus and what he's done? Lucian is at a stakeout right now, watching one of his warehouses... waiting for one of his henchmen to show up WHO WEAVES SKIN INTO ART PIECES! Lucian... who had to watch as his girlfriend was murdered in front of his eyes by Korvus... and then unknowingly poisoned with DragonSin so that Lucian would bring her back to life and watch her suffer and beg for death!" Garius looks on the point of either frustration or tears, maybe both. "So yes... he's as bad as I say, trust me on that."

Anji is totally dumbstruck and very slowly processing all this. She pulls out the letter her mother sent her and looks at her gentle handwriting. "My mom... but he's an old friend of my mom's!" She protests, "Why would my mom know someone like that? I don't get it..."

Penny looks quite stricken. "I... I didn't know any of that..." she replies weakly. "I do trust you, but..." She looks down, filled now with a deep feeling of doubt -- and shame. She wanted to do well, to help people, to support her team. How can she do that if they don't trust her enough to confide in her? "This is the first I've heard of all this..."

Garius nods his head. "With everything going on, I think it would be best if we all got on the same page as a unit. It seems there is a lot going on that everyone isn't aware of."

"That... that sounds like a really good idea..." Still, Penny can't shake that feeling -- that she hasn't earned her team's trust. It hurts.

Anji still doesn't really believe he can be that bad, but she isn't saying anything more.

END DOWNTIME 4 - ANJI

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