Down the Rabbit Hole. Into Wonderland. [Jack & Lolli]

[Fennec]

Flurries of snow wrapped around the air in the lit up cityscape. Lampost lit up by whale oil imported from the nearby Sedna serving as the only warmth in the cold streets also lit up by various neon signs advertising brothels and casinos alike. This was Amino. A city of vices and sins that never sleeps. In truth coming to life only under cover of darkness its denizens perhaps hopeful that the shroud of midnight would cover their sins from the peering eyes of God or some other omniscient figure.

Jack for his part was not here for the vices but rather to investigate. Places like these seemed to attract not just citizens looking for a cheap escape from mundane lives but also hid the refuse of society using the vile guise of the city to mask their odor. Like rats hidden behind a home's walls they were out of sight but truly there. Reaching for his coat’s pocket Jack pulled out a cigarette packet along with a lighter. With a single flick the infernal device came to life providing his cold fingers with warth. Placing the white cigarette between his lips he lit up and closed his yellow wolf-like eyes taking in the nicotine much desired by his brain. With a soft exhale a plume of smoke came forth from his mouth like a dragon resting in its nest. Isolated underneath a lamp post he stood scanning the city. Rats were abundant. But he was the hound who would sniff them out.

After a bit Jack joined the crowd flowing like a river through the brick streets of Amino. Palloncino, the balloon man… that mobster from further south had his cousin, a much more illustrious Don, who lived in Amino. It was rumored his ancestors had a play in the city’s growth once being but a dry watering hole until they founded the first hotel. A short man with buck teeth and a lapin expression he seemed harmless at a glance. But that could be further from the truth. Don Conigilo Warren, that was his namesake. Him and his Warren boys as they were known had a strong foothold on the island and its surrounding. The clues so far had led him here. Another piece to the connection… It seemed from what he gathered from the Balloon man’s office that his cousin was acting as a broker for a certain Doctor Parasol, the distributor of the super virus.

But Jack hadn’t found much else on this Parasol person outside of two details. First, Whoever they were, they originated from Houma, an island in the Grand Line, a swampy place dominated by crones claiming to partake of the dark arts. Secondly, this Parasol person had silver hair. Jack paused at the thought. Silver hair. It always followed him. He shook the thought. She wasn’t smart enough or too evil to partake on such a vile act. Besides, She was dead. But what if…? Jack sighed making his way through the city. Whatever the case… the Warren Boys had a personal Casino in the area named the Wonderland Hotel. It was on to the City’s west side.

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Jack | Post Count: 1

[avidelmv2]

Lolli had come to town much earlier that day, and was already several glasses deep in a smoky Wonderland V.I.P room, much to her annoyance. Occupying a seat across from the Don of Serine, she'd been sharing drinks and gabbing with his inner circle when all that was really on her mind was the boat they'd passed the way here from the docks this morning. HER boat, as far as she was concerned. But she kept smiling, what was easy for her in worse conditions. At least the drink wasn't bad, she thought while taking another sip from her lowball. "You hearin' me, Auggy?" She looked up from tipsily contemplating her glass to see all eyes on her. Don Conigilo's address was made with open hunger for her secrets, and the leers of his men were daggers turned on her telling her to fork them over. Lolli kept a smile.


"Come on, be serious... Whaddya want that sloop for anyway?"

"I told you, Don Conigilo. I'm retiring." She followed up quick and smart, punctuating herself with the plunk of her tumbler back on the table, where the rest of the bottle clutter loitered. Sighs and grunts all around was the response to her own.
"On a boat?"
"Call it my midlife crisis."
"You had time to reminiscence the last few decades? No, for real, did you... What, did you get bored? In this line of work? Come on~, you can tell me."

Lolli sighed hard. This was the most heavy-handed coaxing she'd been on the receiving end of in a while. Practically an interrogation. She picked her glass off the table to finish its contents in one or two gulps, then stood and sauntered to the end of the room. The whole of the Wonderland casino floor was there for her viewing pleasure in a gallery window, its staff and clientele milling from gambling tables to the bar and back under gaudy neon strobe.

Lolli looked over her shoulder, still smiling her smile, with the lowball pinched in a claw by its bottom. "Pour me a couple more of these, I'll tell you whatever you're trying to here, Don." The room was quiet awhile longer, then the Don chuckled dryly, then erupted in more genuine, belt stressing laughter. His entourage joined suit. 

"Someone, get the woman her drink," the Don howled, snapping his fingers. "You know I gotta hear this!"

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Post Count: 1

[Fennec]

Standing in front of the hotel Jack looked up at the neon sign with the name “Wonderland Hotel” written across it. His golden eyes scanned the building constructed of red bricks standing at least ten stories tall. Small rectangular windows lined the building’s visage… some dark. Some lit by orange light. Jack tilted his head for a moment before looking down at the entrance to see two bouncers keeping guard of a long line of individuals waiting to enter the casino bar. While the guards would pose no real threat to him he still wasn’t about to barge in guns blazing. No, this required a more surgical approach.

Shifting his attention away from the entrance Jack paced toward the back alleys. Trash was piled on the sides along with black snow and broken bottles. Before he could approach the back door a drunken mobster and a giggling woman came tumbling out. They stopped in their tracks at the sight of the golden eyed man standing in the alleyway. The playful demeanor of the man changed completely at the sight of a stranger.

“Trespassing are we?”

He pulled out a gun on Jack as the woman hid behind him peeking ever so slightly. Jack lifted a brow and started to walk at the man without saying a word. The scent of alcohol in his mouth wafted the detective from this far away. Clearly one of Conigilo’s men judging by the small rabbit shaped badge on his pristine striped suit.

“Got cotton in your ears, f*cker? I told you to stand back!”

Jack didn’t listen as he continued to slowly pace up to the man. The pale moonlight shining on the detective like his personal spotlight. With a flick of his thumb the mobster cocked his pistol but before his index finger could pull on the trigger Jack had gotten into a sudden full sprint and wrapped his hand around the mobster’s neck. He dropped his gun in shock and began trying to fight against the frostbitten grip.

“Geimhreadh Cumhachtach.”

Instantly the man became frozen in a block of ice with only his head and hands sticking out. The woman who had been behind him stared at Jack with horror in her eyes. She too stunned to even scream at the supernatural event that had just transpired. Likewise the mobster in his drunken state was more than dumbfounded by what had just become of him.

“W-what the hell!? What is THIS!? How!?”

With a flick of the wrist Jack took the drunk’s fedora and put it on his head. He gave the woman a wink before simply leaving the scene walking in through the back door which led him straight into a kitchen where various cooks worked hard preparing meals for the hotel’s patrons. A bit too engrossed in their job to really care or pay much attention to the long coat and fedora wearing ‘would be mobster’ that had just walked in. The stunt back there had been less precise than he’d wanted to. But… it was fun and having fun on the job was after all important.

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Jack | Post Count: 2

Techniques Used:

Name: Geimhreadh Cumhachtach “Mighty Winter”
Fighting Style: Mac tíre Geimhridh
Aspect(s): Snow Manipulation ★, Snow Production ★, Flash Freeze ★
Description: Through contact with an object or opponent Jack generates extreme amounts of hoarfrost which flash freeze the target. Jack usually uses this to keep a target under lock such as when he apprehends a criminal. This ability doesn’t kill the opponent, it simply leaves them immobilized as they can be quickly thawed out. Though prolonged exposure to being frozen can definitely be fatal. The name of the technique derives from Fimblewinter aka the mighty winter that precedes ragnarok.

[avidelmv2]

More drinks were trafficked into the room as the night progressed, and with each one, the atmosphere devolved further into inebriated splendor. Getting blackout drunk was a privilege people in their line of work could rarely afford themselves. Loose lips could only foot the bill on a pair of concrete shoes after all. But tonight was one of those special nights, a time of self-celebratory indulgence. Even still, Lolli and Conigilo wouldn't give themselves the moment, locked into their battle of under-the-influence wits: the Don, under the assumption that Lolli had much greater plans than she was letting on, and Lolli just believing that Conigilo was too nosy for his own good.

So they went back and forth, trading jabs that became more and more indecipherable to their thoroughly sloshed lookers-on, occasionally lapsing into hilarity themselves before one or both parties collected themselves. The next time the door to their deluxe booth opened, though, it wasn't for a busboy to come with a fresh round of drinks. Instead, a Warren Boy soldier came busting in, footing it to Conigilo's side. Lolli noted their blanch complexion as they bounded around their peers, and heard desperation in their muted whispers. Conigilo, initially, shooed them away to finish conversing with herself. Something the soldier said next froze the Don stiff. Conigilo's gaze flicked to hers to see if she had picked up on it. Drunk as they were both getting before, her gaze was alert and interested now. Lolli watched the Don compose himself, trade some slick reassurances to his junior, and stand to follow them out the door.

"Something the matter? We were having fun, and now you're going somewhere?" They smiled greasy smiles at each other, and the Don a chuckle, too. "Managerial slop. I'm still the proprietor, y'know?" He was seen off by Lolli with a tip of her glass, the woman sipping it till the closing of the door punctuated the Don's departure.

Lolli took her own leave from the party then, separating from the pack to stride back to the gallery window. Customers and staff were still parading like little ants, but mixed in with them were fedoras and little rabbit badges. Warren Boys, trickling into the crowd, soon to be moving en masse she imagined. Lolli nursed her drink while she watched the fuse on this powder keg burn away.

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Post Count: 2

[Fennec]

Jack sauntered through the kitchen and the cooks barely acknowledged his existence. There were only a few cursory glances which he got from them. But ultimately, they were not paid enough to acknowledge the verdant haired stranger. Passing through some doors he made it out of the kitchen and onto the dance floor. Lights of various warm shades of orange, pink, and red shined on the dancers who were dressed in a roaring 20’s fashion. Jack in his dark suit and coat fit just right in the party.

His eyes skimmed the room, despite his attire he lacked the rabbit pin and his senses were tingling. There was something that was about to happen but he wasn’t sure. Jack moved around making his way toward the edges of the room keeping himself alert as he did. Naturally he was also in search of Conigilo. Though that was easier said than done. Finding the big— little boss. Especially in the ocean of people. Though it was more likely that the man was spending time in a private lounge with some ladies.

Jack’s head tilted up, the lounges were upstairs. At least that is what he’d heard from word of mouth. Now he just needed to make his way to the second floor. Hopefully with no distractions. Keeping his head low he made his way to the up stairs which were not being guarded. Likely due to Conigilo’s men spreading across the dance floor.

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Jack | Post Count: 3