Reina Pentest's Story

Tucked away from the sprawl, hustle and bustle that was the main branch of the Undermarket stood a relatively unassuming little building to most that walked by it. To those that were interested in business with the owner and knew what to look for, the runic sign above the door lit up to reveal the words Iris' Den. This hamlet is also known as the best made-to-order magic shop in the city that would cater to just about anyone who could fork up the cash.

Tucked away in the back room of Iris' Den, a woman was sketching away on a set of lock-picks with what appeared to be a metal pen. With practiced ease, the glowing tip of the stylus cut through the metal like hot butter, leaving runic symbols in it's wake and glowing after each was complete. The woman doing the sketching was the owner, Reina Pentest, and was completing an order placed earlier that week. Thieves looking for an easier way to their next score, and would probably wind up stealing from each other, but that wasn't any of her business, as long as some of what they stole was fenced and she was paid. Her glasses rested on her forehead as she finished, eyes glowing as she took in her handiwork. Perfect, as both the client and herself demanded. She sits back with a sigh, taking a break after the hour and change of work.

The door to Iris' Den opened and possibly the sound of a small chime rang from the door or something otherworldly would call the shopkeepers attention back to the front. Regardless of what caught the owners attention a rather hefty woman walked into the establishment only to stop and look at some of the wares present within line of sight. Her amber hues glistened in the light like two set gems upon a statue whilst her laced hands delicately traced some of the wares, learning of their past, present, and future with little difficulty.

Forna stopped just short of a few candles that had been worked on and admired the rune work in the wax. Her gaze fell upon the inscriptions and then with her interests moved else ware she moved on to a small necklace that had an aura of its own. The witches amber gaze now seemed crimson as she assessed the mystical workings of the shop and her surroundings only to then remove her massive hat and place it firmly upon her bosom.

"One would imagine it to be rude to simply window-shop when such a quant little place like this exists for all the senses to enjoy." Her words escaped her lips like red velvet cake on an autumn eve. Her left hand moved dark locks from her face as she turned to look at another item that so demanded her attention.

After taking a moment to relax, Reina's break was interrupted by the sound of a distant cymbal being struck playing in the backroom, the signal that one was interested in the shop. Extracting herself from her chair would have seemed like a painful process to anyone that was watching, but it really was that dang comfortable. Her mom really outdid herself on that piece of enchanted heaven that was the backroom recliner. Shaking herself of any metal shavings that might have collected themselves to her person, Reina quickly made herself look presentable to anyone that may soon stumble in. A moment later, a small tinkling emanated from the storefront meaning that her customer had actually entered. Reina lowered her glasses and stuffed her work into her jacket pockets to allow whoever was out there to look over her work for a little bit. The store was charmed in a way that the various shelves would summon things from the storage vault under the store according to the desires of the shopper, so she had taken a habit to letting someone meander about before confronting them. Fewer questions that way.

Thinking that the store had enough time to assess, Reina open the door separating the two halves of the store just in time to hear the velveteen words leave the woman in front of her. The shopkeep raised her eyebrows for a moment, knowing that tone for what is was: the way a woman who has the world in her pocket speaks. Her mother had that tone and she has been trying to emulate it for years without success. Reina took a moment to assess the plump woman in front of her, through both her stature and the items in the room. This woman stood tall, movement matching speech seeming to command the room. The items were some of the bigger powerhouses that the shop had to offer. Candles that allowed for almost instantaneous astral travel, a pendant that could bend the will of many a man and the most terrifying of anything else she had ever made: an intricately carved wand that weakened an object's cohesion. It was a wand of disintegration, of turning things to dust, and Reina had never seen that wand brought to the shelves before. This woman was dangerous. The most interesting kind of client.

Summoning the practiced smile of years of deals, Reina finally spoke, "Hello, and welcome to Iris' Den. I see you have taken an interest in some of my products." She gestures to the destructive wand of ebony. "Normally, I do custom work, were you hoping for something specific?"

The opulent woman smiled like the devil as she took up the marvelously crafted wand. The dark wood was exquisite and the enchantment placed upon it was most useful indeed.

"A lovely shop indeed, though I must confess that this is not my first time within this humble shop." Forna took a deep breath and let a calmed sigh escape her lips. Her eyes shifted off the wand and over to the owner of the store.

"Of course this wand is of the finest quality but I'm in the market for something a bit more permanent, a craftsman, no craftswoman, of the highest quality. I would imagine that the daughter of Madame Pentest would prove to be more than capable of such a task." Forna set the wand aside for a moment and removed the lace from her right hand only to extend it towards Reina in an act of courtesy and for one of introduction.

"I am Forna Big-hat, a former acquaintance of your mothers, and an admirer of such work for sometime." The witch began to cackle as she awaited the young girl.

Allowing the compliment of her store and merchandise roll over her, Reina froze for a moment at the mention of her mother. The smile become slightly darker she responded, "Well, if you knew my mother, I might say I have a bit of learning to do before I quite reach her caliber." This, of course, wasn't entirely true. Reina had improved upon several of the enchantments that her mother had shown her. The only thing holding her back was a the extensive repertoire of matrices that can only really be attained by decades of experience. The talismonger took the extended hand of the witch and shook it in greeting, continuing to speak with a matching smile over the cackling, "So, you had a business proposal? What exactly would this job entail? Location, pay, full details would be greatly appreciated."

"My child your skill is remarkable. Trust me my eyes have seen a few odds and ends in my day." Forna charmingly continued on as if fawning over the girl like a mother to her daughter. "But as for my proposal allow me to show you something first."

The witch took her hand back and reached deep into her massive hat only to produce the strangest thing, a puzzle box with multifaceted locks and mirrors. Strange letters and words appeared and vanished along the edges and the symbols that plagued the small contraption and its mahogany wood was polished with a dark stain to accentuate the silver plating that gave it a more profound beauty.

"It was a gift from your mother. At the time when I first solved it I was baffled to say the least, what works she had created did not compare, stunning and truly a constant mystery." The witch smiled as she held onto the device whilst placing her massive hat back atop her head. "I could think of no other to own such a device but yourself. However in return for this gift I would like you to take up working for me. Consider it a mobile line of work with a payments of work such as this and opportunity to improve even further upon your masterful skills. Besides what is life's greatest reward than learning more of your mothers trade secrets and even finding more such skillfully crafted objects......"

Forna brought her hand over the device causing it to suddenly emanate a pale glow and sending a refreshing chill amongst the two of them. "Magic has its own rewards of course...."

Being showered with praise was nothing new to Reina, but that didn't stop her from playing the part of the bashful prodigy. With a blush, she uttered a small thanks before being distracted by the witch moving to pull something from her hat with the proposition of what she presumed to be her first payment. She was not disappointed. What was produced from the unassuming piece of cloth was something pulled as much from her memory as her wildest dreams. Her mother's catalog of runic matrices, her Matrix Puzzlebox. Her eyes widened at the shimmering wood and the sparkling silver, stylus seeming to appear in her right hand in her haste to examine the object. The enchanter lifted her glasses and runes seemed to dance off of the box, enticing her closer. The words of the other woman in the room didn't seem to reach her ears as she reached for the box, tapping her stylus in a couple of specific places on the object. At the stylus's touch, those able to see magic would see holographic runes projecting from the box in all directions, filling the small room with light from every color of the rainbow. Many of these were easily recognizable, others were less so.

A proper objection to the witch's proposition never came to mind as she rushed to the back room to prepare for departure. Pulling a bag from a cabinet on the wall, she wrapped up the picks and attached a note allowing for the proper pickup later in the week. It being her last order, she was free to move out as she pleased. She walked out of her workshop and placed her hand on the frame of the door, causing it to come off the wall and shrink to the size of a playing card in her outstretched hand, leaving nothing on the wall on which it once was. Placing the door in her jacket pocket, she walked around the room, picking up bits of her handiwork as she went. She made her way back over to the wand that had enticed the witch previously and it's bleached willow twin appeared by it's side, and she pocketed those as well. With a flick of her stylus, the front door locked and the lights outside flickered off. She placed her hand on the cube before asking, "When can I start?"

Forna had never been more pleased and even the devil shuddered at such a notion. She simply turned and waved for the young woman to follow. "I'm gathering more people. A large project can only benefit from other skilled individuals. Check the bottom of the puzzle and you will find an address to a rather nice locale."

Slowly the witch began to fade from view only to cackle at how her progress was going.

"Be sure to dress your finest my dear."

Fenrias Halvard leaned against the entrance to a darkened alley. He watched the happenings of the Undermarket with keen eyes from the shadows as he searched for a potential mark or client.

Remy "Gambit" LeBeau straightened his coat as he noticed several suspicious patrons entering the market. This place had sure become popular since it was confirmed to have existed... damn those pesky news reporters! Wing City had always been a place of change, but... his precious respite!

Finishing up his transaction with the final vendor he'd come here to see, Gambit then began to make his way back towards his age-old home.