Conspiracies Abuzz! The Reznikov Family’s Revenge?!

[Vio]

^{Bryony #1}

---

Veldesh — was it a Kingdom or a Queendom? This was a question that Whitaker Bryony had initially asked when being briefed on her mission, only to receive no straight answer. Not that it mattered at all, for the operations of the Revolutionary Army here did not involve royalty or prestige, no. The rebels’ investigations revolved around something more untoward happening right under the noses of the people, based on an informant’s anonymous contacting, and thus was the reason for the girl’s presence.

Portsden had proven itself more than a little tricky to sneak into, what with its highly secure seawall, but the task had been accomplished all the same. Now, Brie walked the streets of the bustling town, a merry smile upon her face as she enjoyed the warmth of the midmorning sun upon her face. For sure, it made a pleasant change from a somewhat recent rest stop taken on Drum Island — a visit that had left the young lady with more than a few vivid memories.

I hope they’re okay… Both of them, Miss Whitaker considered, flashes of a man with snowy hair and sharp eyes and of a peculiar being stitched together in near otherworldly ways leaping to the fore. A man named Kite and an entity known only as ‘Watcher’ were two names she would likely never forget, though the three had gone their separate ways after Aspen’s defeat and their eventual recovery.

“Focus, Bryony! You’re here for a reason, y’know?” she uttered quietly to herself as she continued to dodge crowds and meander through Portsden. Her objective seemed simple enough. She was to locate and gather information on a certain underworld organisation with ties to smuggling and trafficking, based within Veldesh and allegedly connected to the World Government, but what information she had been given was rather sparse. A town and a name, and that name was ‘Reznikov’.

^{—— MEANWHILE ——}

“So… Hate to be the one to bring this up again, but, what are we going to do now?” Ivan inquired, the more reasonably built of three brothers. With whetstone in hand, he gently smoothed off the edges of his knives as he sat near a table in a shaded house on the outskirts of Portsden. As he spoke, he side-eyed his blood relatives — two men of arguably much more powerful builds than he possessed — and watched as both men grimaced.

^{“We lost the Devil Fruit,” he continued:
“And now we’re falling behind on—”}

^{“Ivan! We know! Shut the hell up!”}

“Hey, calm down, Fedor,” said Aleksander, patting his elder brother’s shoulder. Such an action prompted a callous glance from the bald but extremely well-muscled man, though the younger — long and dark of hair — simply smirked as he withdrew his arm. “We’ll figure this one out,” he continued, knocking back a tankard of ale. “Besides, don’t we only need two more to fill out the quota? Two more able bodies by tomorrow night and we’ll be fine,” the swordsman added, standing and making to leave the room.

^{“Yeah, two more…”
“Tch! Right…”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>Bryony walks the streets of Portsden, unsure of where she’s headed. Meanwhile, the Reznikov brothers argue and conspire.

Starring: Aromancer & Sam</sub>

---

Whitaker Bryony | #ace1af
Fedor Reznikov [NPC] | #8b0000
Aleksander Reznikov [NPC] | #fffb9e
Ivan Reznikov [NPC] | #add8e6

[Aromancer]

Viper Lee - 1

Viper Lee sat up in bed, shivering violently from the sudden cold. He clenched his teeth and held his malnourished body. After several days' bed rest in this hospital, he was finally starting to feel a bit like himself, but this damn shakiness just wouldn't go away, no matter how hard he tried.

After his disastrous encounter with the Reznikov brothers, Lee had rushed blindly through the streets, desperate for medical attention. Blood mixed with vomit as both dribbled down his chin, his broken ribs stabbing into his lungs painfully. He'd been turned away at the first place he'd visited; word had spread of his attack on the Reznikov base, and nobody wanted to help the fool who'd tried that to recover. But luckily, the second building he'd found was a World Government medical facility who'd been more than happy to treat him after he'd shown them his old Marine recruit papers.

Granted, Lee had been discharged from the marines a few months ago, but he was confident that it would take the marines of Valdesh a while to contact the East Blue and figure out his deception. Anyway, the bounty hunter had plenty of money to pay the hospital's exorbitant costs plus enough to get the staff to look the other way regarding his "minor transgression." Sure, he would be losing a lot of money in the transaction, but what else was he going to spend it on, really? No, to be honest, he wasn't too broken up about his situation at the hospital.

What he was broken up about was the unmitigated disaster that was his last mission. Not only had the Reznikovs absolutely bodied him in single combat, his co-conspirator Jillian was nowhere to be seen. In all likelihood, she'd gotten away with one of the most powerful Devil Fruits in the world, and he had no way to track her down. All he could do was hope she would use that power responsibly. Maybe he'd find her again someday; and once that day came, she'd hopefully have a huge bounty.

He would of course be smarter next time he challenged the Reznikovs, and he would make sure to take them on when they were alone; he was honestly kind of desperate for their bounties, but more than that he simply HAD to bring them to justice! He wouldn't be able to live with himself if the noble profession of bounty hunting were tarnished by these assholes!

It was difficult, but he forced himself up and out of bed, putting on his clothes (which had been cleaned and folded up next to him.) On shaky legs, he staggered out of the hospital room.

"Sir, you really shouldn't be up and about just-" a nurse said, approaching him, but Lee merely glared at her and she backed off.

"I'm f-f-fine," he told her, as he began heading away. Huh. A stutter. That was new. Hopefully not permanent. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, then tried it again. "I'm fine." It took some concentration, but he was able to talk normally. He'd just need to keep a handle on it, in that case.

He left some money at the front desk, enough to pay for his treatment and a generous tip. He trusted the hospital not to talk, thanks to a couple hundred-thousand-berri bribe. He had somewhere to be, and he couldn't wait around for beurocracy to let him out of its cavernous clutches.

---

Bryony didn't get too much information as she interrogated people for information on the Reznikovs; they were too fearsome, too ubiquitous. All she managed to get out of the townsfolk was that it would be foolish to challenge them; the last person to do so, a young upstart named Viper Lee, ran out a bloody, desperate mess and hadn't been seen for days. He was probably dead though, so no use bothering to look for him.

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER IV // Conspiracies Abuzz! The Reznikov Family’s Revenge?!

It was a rather cool day outside, cool enough to cause mist to pour out of Myles's mouth as he walked through the busy market place of Portsden. The streets were crowded with all sorts of people buying different goods from farmers and such. It was always busy on this island, that was something the perceptive Myles had taken quick notice of. In the week he'd spent on this island it never seemed to stop. Which was a good thing for Myles, people were too busy and content with their jobs that it made it easier for him to go unnoticed.

They were simply too busy to notice an odd eleven-foot hooded man walking down the streets with a light clink of chains in every step he took. Granted getting into this island had proven rather difficult given the seawall which was heavily guarded. However, if one was clever enough one could slip in through the older more run-down docks found in the city's slums. Those were less guarded and less protected.

"Get yer fresh crabs! Get 'em today! Freshly caught at half the price!"

A nearby vendor yelled out as he rang a bell in an attempt to get more attention. Myles quietly walked onward drinking from a bottle of beer as he shifted his purple eyes left to right. In all honesty, he wasn't planning on buying anything, he just went out for a walk. The hustle and bustle of people around him put him in a state of ease as they all seemed rather happy with their state of being. His time on this island however would have to be cut short, the money he'd taken from his previous crew was running short. It didn't help he had to spend a whopping Two Million Beri on the repairs for his bike.

Stepping through the crowds Myles walked down the marketplace until he saw something that caught his attention. A flower shop with some beautiful spring flowers! He got close to take a look at him, it was odd perhaps for the woman running the stand to see such a large strange man take interest in her flowers. But the truth was that despite his outward appearance the young man was quite fond of them. They were small, delicate, and rather glamorous... and they reminded him of someone special.

"So, um... what are you looking for?"

The vendor asked him, she seemed rather intimidated by Myles who simply shifted his green eyes around through the varied selection of flowers. There were simply so many! Roses, Peonies, Carnations, Daisies, Lavander, Snapdragons, Azaleas, Marigolds, you name it they were there. But the last ones, in particular, caught his attention, Marigolds! He was always fond of them.

"I think I'll take the Marigolds... how much are they?"

The woman nodded.

"Well, they're around 4,000 beri per six flowers."

Myles tilted his head frowning, he was low on Beri and couldn't spend it on unnecessary things. Letting out a sigh he simply shrugged at the woman and shook his head.

"I see, well, maybe next time."

He simply replied, the woman nodded as she watched the mysterious man simply turn around and walk away. His money was likely better spent getting him some food and some rations for his next trip. It would only be one more week before his long pose reset and he could leave this island behind. Always on the move, that was what Myles' life had become.

Not that he could complain, it was part of his dream to see the world. However, he did wish he wasn't on a constant time crunch. Sticking to places for too long brought attention, the wrong kind... especially in islands overrun by marines like this one. Veldesh was a good place to make a living, but sadly not for a man like him.

-- NAME // Myles Suzuki

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Bryony #2}

---

“Haaah,” Whitaker Bryony exhaled. Thus far, her search for information had gotten her nowhere, save an understanding of the reputation of the men she sought out. Reznikov was a name that inspired fear in those that knew; meant nothing to those that did not. They were a group that was equal parts all encompassing and completely non-existent, all depending on who she asked. Simple street vendors, dock workers, layabouts — of the latter there were few. To ask the guardsmen of the city was to invite suspicion, so she had crossed that idea off the list immediately.

I really don’t fancy sitting in a plant pot and listening to passing conversations, either, she thought, at the very least entertaining a more covert use of her abilities. Useful or not, such an act was unreliable at best — weeks worth of work for what was very likely pointless rumours. At least she had one thing to go off, even if it was hedging her bets a little. Another name, ‘Viper Lee’; an upstart who had challenged the Reznikov family and purportedly escaped before certain death.

It was a recent rumour that had spread quickly and, strangely enough, that had inspired some confidence in the investigative Revolutionary. Veldesh lived up to its apparent theme, for no rumour remained under wraps in this colonial hive of activity. Indeed, now that she knew what to listen out for, the idle drone of chatting people in the streets and stores became somewhat more comprehensible.

	“Did you hear…?”
		“Well, I never…”
“Apparently…!”
	“Who’d have known…?”

Time did tell a tale of how the Reznikov Family had been stolen from, of how this Viper character had last been seen running for his life from what was assumed to be the area of the family’s hideout, but that was where her trail had once again run dry. Hardly could she pay a visit to a World Government facility — especially not when their corrupt practises were the subject of her investigation. A connection between the Government and the Reznikov Family had been suggested.

“Hmm…” Stopping at the side of a crossroad, Miss Whitaker observed the crowds. Save for a mention of name and state, she had no idea of how to track the man named Lee — only the most vague of descriptions had been provided. There could have been countless individuals matching the criteria she had picked out; a young man of below average height with dark hair. “It can’t be that hard to find someone in town, y’know?” she said to nobody in particular, keeping her spirits raised as she peeked around crowds and tried to avoid getting swept away in the buzzing activity of Portsden.

^{“Excuse me,” she apologised:
“Ah…! Sorry!”}

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>Bryony continues to gather information in Portsden, dodging crowds as she tries to locate a potential source of data.

NOTE:— Feel free to have somebody collide with Bryony to get the interactions started, but there’s no rush!</sub>

---

Whitaker Bryony | #ace1af
Fedor Reznikov [NPC] | #8b0000
Aleksander Reznikov [NPC] | #fffb9e
Ivan Reznikov [NPC] | #add8e6
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Aromancer]

Viper Lee - 2

As Lee headed out into the city, he attracted several curious stares. Apparently, word had gotten out about his ill-fated attack, and he was starting to become a recognized face here in Valdesh.

"Yeah, over there... you think that's him?"

"Sure looks like him..." 

"I heard he stole something really valuable 

from the Reznikovs... and lived!"

Lee was unable to hold back a smirk as he overheard their chatter. The story was getting spread around, but his own part in it seemed to be getting inflated somewhat. Although, come to think of it, that much was understandable. Jillian wasn't exactly the type to make a splash, and next to her far more boisterous companion, her theft most likely went unnoticed. As a result, most people seemed to believe that he'd been a solo agent, breaking into the Reznikov hideout by himself and stealing their most valuable possession before making a daring escape, barely clinging to life.

It was a good story. He found a bit of a spring in his step as he continued down the road... at least until he tripped over his own wobbly legs, smashing headfirst into a tall, intimidating man. He spilled onto the ground, catching himself on one arm and badly skinning his elbow.

"Damn..." some folk hero he was. He was so shaky, he couldn't even walk normally! The heavily-bandaged boy slowly got back up, extending a hand to the man he'd accidentally run into. "S-s-sorry about that," he said, before stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "D-d-d..." He took another deep breath. Inhale, exhale. "Don't know where my head's at today."

He looked up at the guy he'd run into. Woof, now this guy struck an imposing figure! Had to be at least ten, eleven feet? Even the Reznikovs didn't look so tough in comparison! He took a cautious step back, narrowing his eyes.

"H-hold on," he said, thinking to himself for a moment. His hand darted into his jacket, pulling out a number of loose leaf Wanted posters. He shuffled through them, searching for one that matched the man before him... but found nothing.

Weird. This guy looked like a total badass. Huge, brawny, giant scythe on his back, the guy looked every bit the part of the pirate. But if Lee didn't have his sheet... Well, honestly that didn't mean a whole lot. Lee did his best to stay up-to-date, but there were just so many pirates on the Grand Line that even keeping track of who had the highest bounties where was an exercise in futility.

But there was a chance he had a different profession... "H-hey big guy," Lee said, looking up at him and offering his hand again. "You a bounty hunter, too? I got a job with a HUGE payout, but I need some help. We could s-s-split the profits, fifty-fifty!"

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER IV // Conspiracies Abuzz! The Reznikov Family’s Revenge?!

The pink-haired man simply continued to pace through the streets taking a long sip from a gourd-shaped bottle full of alcohol. A kanji for sake written on the brown-colored bottle. Lost in thought as he took a long chug he accidentally ended up bumping into a short... woman. This in turn caused him to spill his drink all over her. Myles felt great guilt about the whole ordeal. She was very small compared to Myles under normal circumstances he would have never noticed her.

"I'm very sorry little miss."

If Bryony needed help to get up he'd offer it to her the man went as far as to crouch to get slightly within her range. Pulling out a handkerchief he offered it up to her. However, being crouched down in crowds of people was a good way to get bumped into and that's exactly what happened. It had been a boy? Man? By the looks of it, he was hardly older than Myles perhaps a bit younger even. He wasn't very imposing either with a wiry build... but then again not many people were imposing compared to the Ferryman. It was an unfair comparison as very few had an upbringing comparable to Myles... he was someone raised to kill whether he liked it or not.

"Huh? Oh, my bad bro."

Myles simply replied, after helping Bryony in whatever she needed Myles stood up revealing his full size. From above he stared down at the smaller man with a calm expression. His eyes glossed over every inch of Lee looking for any sort of threat but he found none... he did however notice the young man's slight twitching.

An odd quirk? Or perhaps just the sudden fear of bumping into him? That wasn't the only oddity... fangs like a snake... eyes like one. This was an odd man, another Grand Line weirdo perhaps Myles thought to himself. Looking past these subtle features Myles noticed the young man didn't seem to be in top shape either... he had that stench on him.

"It's my fault I insist."

The pirate wasn't looking for trouble and frankly, he wasn't the one to beat up someone for bumping into him. That was too childish even for him. But what happened next irked him quite a lot. The young man, seemingly a bounty hunter looked through a bundle of bounty posters he had in his jacket. Gritting his teeth the pirate looked at him in disgust but didn't say anything. How could this guy have the audacity to look through posters in front of him.

Myles however remained calm, swallowing his anger... if there was going to be an attack from the snake's part then he would not hold back. He would turn him to paste right in the sidewalk if need be. Myles had a great hate for bounty hunters as all his experiences with them had been less than desirable... although that could likely be attributed to the fact that the first island he landed on when he arrived to the Grand Line was none other than Whiskey Peak.

"Are you done?"

Myles inquired the boy who didn't find his bounty posters much to his relief. He walked past Lee now a tad bit annoyed with him. Myles stood still his back turned to the young man as he rummaged through his cloak to pull out a cigarette pack.

"Your lucky I'm not a criminal, someone else might have left you a stain on the ground if you did that. Be more alert."

With a calm posture, the man walked forward, slightly arching his back to light a cigarette. As he placed it in his mouth he was about to leave the young man made an odd proposal that under normal circumstances would never entice Myles. Turning around he looked down at the young man once more... teaming up with a bounty hunter was the last thing he expected doing in his life. But desperate times called for desperate measures or so they said.

"Nope, but I'm just a warrior on a quest... however... I need some cash. So I'm sure we can work something out."

Myles said, this time slightly smirking... he needed that money to survive. That was the main motivator behind everything, wasn't it? Money... the stuff that could supposedly buy you everything but happiness. Tch, what a greedy society.

-- NAME // Myles Suzuki

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Bryony #3}

---

Fate had made its decision in that moment, and it wasn’t too kind, for the chestnut lass found herself suddenly soaked in sake with no prior warning. Hair darkened by rice wine hung over her face and shoulders as if she’d just crawled out of a well but, despite the collision, she remained standing. About she turned, fortunately not soaked any further, pulling away the sodden curtain of hair to view the culprit. At a mere five and three, she was used to looking up, but hazel eyes were not greeted with a face this time around.

“I’m very sorry, little miss,” said a man’s voice, emanating from somewhere above the exposed abdomen that floated at average head height. Craning her neck, bundling her hair in her hands as well, Miss Whitaker finally got a proper look at the man’s face as he eased himself down to a more considerate height. Dark eyes of purple and short, spiky hair of strawberry pink seemed to greatly contrast the man’s general aesthetic; a man who stood twice as tall as she, if not more.

^{“Not a problem,” she chirped:
“These things happen, y’know?”}

Accepting the apparent peace offering of a handkerchief, she began to mop the sake from about her face, wringing her locks out. But before she could really say anything else, the crouching man himself became the subject of yet another bodily collision. Stepping back slightly to avoid a domino effect, Brie simply worked the liquid from her hair and watched with passing curiosity the scene to unfold. A conversation between men — one an imposing goliath and the other a stuttering serpent — regarding bounties, caution, and money.

Well, at least the World Navy hasn’t figured me out yet, Bryony noted as she watched the smaller of the two males shuffle through all too familiar pictures. Up to now, the revolutionary had evaded the authority of the World Government’s law enforcement, remaining undercover and maintaining a civilian guise throughout her operations. She didn’t plan on changing that. However, as she analysed the figure, her mind shuffled pieces into place, completing a picture.

“Excuse me, Mister,” Miss Whitaker interrupted, now having dried herself off to the best of her ability. She was a little confused as to whether or not to offer the handkerchief back to its original owner, however; it seemed rude to just keep it, but just as much so to give him back the article drenched in sake, despite the events that had transpired. Minor moral dilemmas aside, the freckled femme focused more upon the other fellow, whose curious features prompted the question.

“Are you ‘Lee’, perchance?” she asked, tones hushed to minimise the risk of eavesdropping. “My name’s Bryony. I’m trying to find information on the whereabouts of some people, and was told a man named Lee might know more, y’know?” she continued, her signature tic manifesting. He certainly matched the vague description she had gotten, but more so seemed to fit the bill in other ways. All the same, it was likely a very strange thing for an unassuming girl to ask about, especially one dressed in sandals, ripped skinny jeans, and a cropped, off-the-shoulder top of lilac colour.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>Bryony dries herself off after her curious collision with a mysterious stranger, but soon enquires about the man she’s looking for.

NOTE:— ——</sub>

---

Whitaker Bryony | #ace1af
Myles Suzuki | #eec8ea
Fedor Reznikov [NPC] | #8b0000
Aleksander Reznikov [NPC] | #fffb9e
Ivan Reznikov [NPC] | #add8e6
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Aromancer]

Viper Lee - 3

Lee had originally gotten into the bounty hunting gig for moral reasons; he wanted to take down dangerous villains without having to submit to the Marines' internal corruption. As a result, he had no Wanted posters featuring Revolutionaries (at least, not ones who weren't also dangerous villains), since he considered them birds of a feather, after a fashion.

Because of this, he had absolutely no idea who this short, unassuming woman was who had just interrupted his conversation with Myles. He turned to face her, arms folded and one eyebrow raised quizzically. This chick had probably heard about the rumors spreading across the town, and was hoping to get his help in tracking down the bounty hunting brothers who had put him into the hospital. "Y-y-y..." Deep breaths, Lee, deep breaths. "You're looking for the Reznikovs then, I take it?"

There we go. Starting to sound more like his old self. His body was still trembling, but underneath his jacket it was barely perceptible. "I caught their scent a few days ago. Some upstart idiots were besmirching the good name of "bounty hunter," so I taught 'em a little lesson."

He smirked to himself at the memory. "I managed to get the location of their boss's hideout from them, and since they had an item that I was in-inter-int..." Another deep breath. "...that I wanted, I figured I'd go pay them a visit."

His face fell again. "Listen, no offense, but you don't look like much of a fighter. Not like this guy." He jerked his thumb back towards Myles. "I'm not gonna be held responsible for getting you k-k-killed. That means I'm not telling you where they are."

He turned to Myles once more. "Glad to hear you're interested! I could take on any of those Reznikovs one-on-one, but when they started ganging up on me, I..." He shrugged. "Well, let's just say this st-st-stutter is a recent development."

He took another breath. "Basically, my plan is to separate them and pick 'em off one at a time. Starting with the strongest one; their leader, Fedor. I got a score to settle with him, anyways. I'll need you to keep the other two away from us long enough for me to take him out. Shouldn't be too long, I work fast. It's a tough job, but you look like a tough guy." He held out his hand again. "Whaddaya say, partner?"

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER IV // Conspiracies Abuzz! The Reznikov Family’s Revenge?!

The woman had been kind enough about the incident, which came off as a surprise to Myles. Frankly, he was expecting her to yell at him and curse him along with his mother. But she did not, perplexed the young man simply shrugged it off. People in Veldesh seemed rather kindly in general so perhaps it had something to do with that. Myles almost wanted to stay here a while longer but he knew he couldn't.. it was just too dangerous.

It had been a few weeks since he'd been on that ship with Isaac Saifer, the marine on sabbatical who had let him go free despite Myles being a criminal according to the World Government. The pirate simply knew he wouldn't get lucky like that again, morally grey Marines were a rarity. Turning his attention back to the conversation he silently listened to the conversation of the short woman and the serpent man.

"Right, so you're that Lee guy everyone's been talking about? Huh, I imagined you... different..."

Myles remarked as he blew out a plume of cigarette smoke up at the sky above. Taking in a deep breath he then put the cigarette back in his mouth to pay attention to the scene once more. He couldn't believe this was the Lee everyone was talking about, guy had some guts if that was true. Apparently, he'd faced some underground group of good for nothing... the Reznikovs.

Was he wanting to recruit Myles to take down this band? But before he could ask the younger man seemed to decline the lady's requests to speak farther. Myles raised a brow a bit amused by the whole situation. In fact the man went forth, explaining his plan as if to cut the woman from the conversation. Myles found that a bit rude so he decided to defend Bryony on this one. 

"Oi oi oi, let the little miss tag along if she wants. I'm sure she can pull her weight, you never know when someone has an ace up her sleeve."

The pirate pointed out as he reached over to his arm pulling up his sleeve to show off some scars. Those had been done by someone much smaller than him back when he escaped his home island... a tiny man smaller than Lee had done it to him.

"You see this?"

Myles showed off the nasty scars to the man and the woman.

"Those were done by a tiny gremlin, a guy smaller than you Lee, took me by surprise. Case in point is you never know what people have in store... that little man was strong with a fist of steel."

He explained promptly covering up his sleeve thinking his point had been made. Myles exhaled a bit more smoke as his posture relaxed a tad. Looking over to the woman he glued his purple eyes on her before quickly turning them over to Lee.

"Listen, Lee, if you don't bring her along I ain't coming. Don't worry I'll take liability if anything happens... I'm a man of word you know? Let's shake on it come on."

Extending his bandaged hand out to shake Lee's the man smiled for the first time in weeks. This was a deal, Myles never broke deals... the large man was likely many things to the government but one thing they couldn't call him was a liar. Myles always kept his promises and words. Not that Lee would know that, but it was worth the try.

"Warriors honor! I insist!"

-- NAME // Myles Suzuki

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Bryony #4}

---

“You’re looking for the Reznikovs then, I take it?” the smaller man quizzed, proving to her his identity, but his stammering and trembling did not go unnoticed by the revolutionary agent. This wasn’t some tic, so she assumed, for it was more or less constant — something he was clearly trying to rein in where he could. However, it was Lee’s attitude towards her that prompted a callous glance in his direction.

“I’m not gonna be held responsible for getting you k— k— killed,” the Viper elaborated, serpentine eyes assessing Miss Whitaker. She raised an eyebrow, tying still damp hair back into a ponytail to keep it from her face. Sure, she didn’t outwardly look like a fighter of any sort, short and civilian in her aesthetic, but why judge a book by its cover? For the moment, she remained quiet, but it was when Lee turned back to the much taller man that something surprising happened. Though he’d already demonstrated it, the lean goliath defended her, using past examples to prove his point.

“If you don’t bring her along, I ain’t coming,” were the words that most definitely should have swayed Lee’s stance on the matter. He was looking for aid in tackling the Reznikov family — she was, too — and each of the three had something that one of the others wanted. It was a cruel triangle; necessary information, additional muscle, and apparent chivalry aligned in such a way that one could not exist without the next in line.

^{“Warriors honour,” the tall one said:
“I insist!”}

“Um… Thanks, Mister— Oh! I forgot,” Brie chirped, livening up a good deal after being shunned and subsequently supported. “My name’s Bryony,” she added, introductions perhaps needed once she realised that she only knew Lee’s name from a rumour. Deceit, however, was still needed on her part, but her cheery and upbeat expressions would be the perfect guise. Besides, there was a difference between lying and not giving the whole truth.

“And I can defend myself, too! Let’s just say I’m a lot stronger than I look, y’know?” To demonstrate her abilities immediately was tempting, if just to prove a point, but alas she resisted. The Reznikov family was more than just the three brothers — they had underlings that could likely have been out and about. To show off would require transformation, transformation would be obvious, and being obvious meant that she’d lose the element of surprise. Like a good stage play, she needed to save the reveal for the final act!

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>Bryony seems a bit annoyed by Lee’s refusal, but is pleasantly surprised by the mystery man’s honourable decisions.

NOTE:— ——</sub>

---

Whitaker Bryony | #ace1af
Myles Suzuki | #eec8ea
Viper Lee | #e2c052
Fedor Reznikov [NPC] | #8b0000
Aleksander Reznikov [NPC] | #fffb9e
Ivan Reznikov [NPC] | #add8e6
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Aromancer]

Viper Lee - 4

Lee looked maybe a bit affronted at the large man's assessment of him. "L-look, the stutter's nothing, man. I'm one of the g-g-greatest swordsmen in the Grand Line, so it doesn't matter what my mouth is d-d-doing, got it?" Deep breaths, Lee. Don't let him heat you up. You can control the stutter so long as you keep your head cool.

As he tried to calm down, his efforts were thwarted by Myles's next comment. "W-wait, seriously? You want to bring her along?" No, dammit! Breathe! "No offense, friend, but are you sure that's such a-"

"Listen, Lee, if you don't bring her along I ain't coming. Don't worry I'll take liability if anything happens... I'm a man of word you know? Let's shake on it come on."

Well. Lee wasn't really sure how to respond to that. But if the big guy was that certain about it, Lee didn't think there was anything a guy like him could say to dissuade him. At least not without another ten minutes or so of unintelligible stuttering. God, he was pathetic.

"And I can defend myself, too! Let’s just say I’m a lot stronger than I look, y’know?"

Lee huffed doubtfully, but then sighed. "Alright big guy, if you're taking responsibility for her, she can come along." He took Myles' proffered hand and shook it reluctantly. "I'm betting you both know this already, but it's probably rude if I don't introduce myself personally. I'm Viper Lee. What's your name?"

He allowed himself a small grin. He'd managed to say all that without stuttering once! He couldn't celebrate or anything, not with these two watching him; he had to play the part of the experienced bounty hunter whose unflappable determination would lead them to victory, but internally he rejoiced at his success.

"Okay then, Bryony and Myles, let's talk shop." Lee led his two companions into a nearby inn to discuss strategy with both of them. "We're up against three of the meanest dudes on the island, and my former partner and I got real lucky to find them alone. They had a treasure that they didn't want anyone else getting ahold of last I saw them. That is no longer the case."

He used the back end of one of his Wanted posters and began detailing what he remembered of the Reznikovs' base. "That means the place is probably gonna be swarming with guards, even moreso now that they were recently infiltrated. First order of business: dispose of them, ideally without alerting the higher-ups."

Hey, he was getting good at this whole talking normal thing! "If either of you is good at disposing of large numbers of mooks, now's your time to shine. My abilities are more geared to strong, singular opponents, so while I can take out a few guards, it'll be slow and messy."

He detailed the interior of the base. "Once we're in, I'll isolate Fedor and take him out. Then Aleksander, then Ivan. You guys'll be running interference, so just make sure to keep the other two occupied until I can come save you, yeah?"

[Sam]

-- CHAPTER IV // Conspiracies Abuzz! The Reznikov Family’s Revenge?!

Producing some powder the pirate rubbed it slightly between his fingertips producing a small arc of electrical power in them. As the electrical power crackled he grabbed onto the chain wrapped around his waist unraveling it... applying the electrical power to it. Like magic, the chain with a scythe head slowly transformed into a normal silver colored scythe which Myles slung over his shoulder.

"Ah, no worries little miss, names, Suzuki. Just call me that... no fancy misters here. In any case, well met Bryony."

Turning over to Lee the man did a slight head gesture toward Bryony as she claimed her strength. As mentioned before he was a firm believer in giving people a chance. However, Lee seemed to be going on about being 'one of the best swordsmen in the Grand Line' a thing Myles had heard many claims and while the pirate surely was aware of Lee's skill. He still found it hard to believe he was one of the many best.

After all, if everyone claimed to be one of the best then no one was the best. The pirate would never understand such a silly dream. In fact, this promoted the pirate to look over at Bryony with a subtle wide-eyed expression as if to express his current annoyance with the bounty hunter. Letting out a sigh the pirate turned around to look at Lee once more. Silly sword dreams weren't why he was helping Lee, no he was just here for the money... to fuel his dream.

"Aye, you got cotton in your ears? I said what I said loud and clear! I want to bring Bryony along with us."

After this exchange the man bent the knee, there didn't seem like there was much else he could add to the table to object. With a winning smile, Myles looked down at the snake-like man before him.

"Yeah... we know your Lee. Like I said earlier, just call me Suzuki, ok? No honoraries or anything."

Before Myles could comment about perhaps coming up with a plan or doing something productive the bounty hunter was already on the job. Leading the way toward an Inn to discuss the plan more in detail. Once inside Myles pulled up a seat for Bryony and then a seat for himself. Once he sat on the table he put his feet up and crossed his arms... scythe leaning on the table. He listened to Lee quitely to describe the whole scenario a bit.

"I'm not much of an infiltrated Lee, if I walk up they'll see me coming from a mile away. I mean just look at me."

The man gestured toward himself, he did sort of stick out. Even when he acted stealthily he would still be found... he was simply too big and colorful.

"Besides, what makes you think those Reznikovs will separate? They're family members who probably would die for each other. But let's not get ahead of ourselves... let's discuss stealth first."

Myles pointed out, from what he'd heard of the Reznikovs they didn't seem like the type to separate. Besides, if they did separate... one Reznikov would likely be somewhere nearby. They were like snakes... always near their partners.

"What do you think Bryony? You got any abilities that lend for stealth?"

-- NAME // Myles Suzuki

-- CLASS // D

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Vio]

^{Bryony #5}

---

It took little more in the way of persuasion to shift Lee’s stance on the matter, though still he seemed rather reluctant about the idea, much to Whitaker Bryony’s dismay. All the same, it was the swordsman who dared to proclaim himself a cut above the rest, which prompted the now identified Suzuki to cast an awkward gaze in the girl’s direction. Though she met it just briefly, she showed no regards for dismissing the claim; judgments were to be reserved. Maybe there was some truth to the statement!

Suzuki, however, was the first to enact upon a rather obvious fact. As their conversation grew, it was the giant of a man who led the troupe to a nearby inn — a refuge from the bustling streets where passing ears could easily take stock of the conversation without being readily noticed. Here, they could talk more discreetly, and it was within the confines of said tavern that the three of them further discussed their plans.

“Let’s discuss stealth first,” Suzuki stated, putting a momentary dampener on Viper Lee’s plans as he brought to the fore the key conundrum. Of the two men, it seemed the former definitely had his head on straight, presenting a modicum of common sense and respect where the latter did not. At least Lee’s stammering had come to an end, for now at least.

“Uh, well,” Miss Whitaker began when questioned, her own mind processing a combination of factors that had come to the fore. Indeed, she paused for more than a short moment, piecing together what she knew of her allies and of the Reznikov Family. “Let’s just say my abilities aren’t really suited for sneaking in, either, y’know?” she addressed, but quickly made sure to add: “But, I can probably handle a few guards by myself! Besides, stealth doesn’t always have to mean sneaking around on tip-toe, y’know…?”

She wagged a finger, knowingly.

“Just one thing,” Bryony added, a little more serious of tone as she looked at Lee, eyes giving him a noticeable once over. Suzuki was a well-built man with an unusual weapon — she had seen the little trick of transformation that had occurred previously and was sure he knew how to wield such a tool. Lee, however, was a different story. “You’re barely in a condition to fight all three of them if this is what happened last time, y’know? I get why you’d want to do it, but, if anything you just told us is true then that’s a death wish. All it takes is the three of them to stick together and you’ll be lucky to get out alive a second time, y’know?”

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post Synopsis:—}
<sub>Bryony listens and contemplates, sharing little detail but raising a few points.

NOTE:— Changed Viper Lee’s text colour to match!</sub>

---

Whitaker Bryony | #ace1af
Myles Suzuki | #eec8ea
Viper Lee | #1979e6
Fedor Reznikov [NPC] | #8b0000
Aleksander Reznikov [NPC] | #fffb9e
Ivan Reznikov [NPC] | #add8e6
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555

[Aromancer]

Viper Lee - 5

Lee's eyes widened when Suzuki's chain kama converted into the ordinary model. "Oh man! That's so cool!" He remarked, watching as the man slung the blade over his shoulder. "Is that Wapometal?" He tried to get a closer look, but was stopped by the whole "Byrony" issue. His spirits fell as he realized he was making a bad impression with the others; he didn't much care what the girl thought of him, but he wanted to be on good terms with the cool man with the shapeshifting scythe. "...N-n-nice to meet you, Suzuki."

---

Once they were inside, both of Lee's new recruits confessed to being poor at stealth. He grinned at them both. "No worries," he told them. "I'm the only one who n-n..." In, out. "...Needs to be stealthy. You two are a distraction, so big and loud and taking out large groups of people... that should all be perfect!"

Byrony's speech found it's way to his heart, and he looked over at her with a bit of surprise. "W-w-well..." he began, blushing a little and rubbing the back of his head, "it's not that I don't trust you guys. But I'm kind of asking you to take a big risk here. I'm sure you're capable in a fight, but I only just met you two, and I don't want to be the guy who got you killed. Honestly, I was worried you might just say no outright, 'cuz of how dangerous this plan is!"

He sighed. "I know I'm not in top shape right now... I left the hospital way too early; I shouldn't even be walking around, let alone challenging three mighty warriors to a battle. But this is my mess, you know? I feel like... like I need to be the guy who fixes it. Besides, if I take them on one at a time, I can definitely win. D-d-definitely."

Ugh. Not exactly inspiring confidence there, Lee. "And on that note... Suzuki, you were asking how we were gonna separate them, yeah? I... I hadn't gotten that far. Heh heh."

He drew out a diagram. "But, if stealth's out of the question, maybe a two-pronged assault will be the way to go. Byrony, you could attack the rear entrance, while Suzuki comes in through the front. They should split up to deal with both threats at once. I'll go in through the window, I've got a way in there, and try to pick off whichever one trails behind. Sound good?" Now he was in his element! Going in with a plan filled the boy with confidence!