tushanshu | 003 ♛ video

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003 ♛ video

Good morning, Keeliai.

[ Monet's seated, her clothes neatly pressed, colours deliberately chosen to contrast the comfortable seat in front of her console, one leg crossed over the other. She hasn't found any nail polish a-turtle yet, or she'd be wearing that as well. Her tone is pleasantly pitched, and even-keeled. ]

My name is Monet Saint-Croix, and I'm acquainted with several kedan who're willing to accept temporary assistance from Foreigners for tasks our gifts are more suited to handling [ i.e., with superpowers ]. This is an excellent opportunity to get more involved with the local community, and perhaps improve relations. [ a polite smile to punctuate ]

If you're interested in helping, kindly come to the office [ a location ping in the Metal Sector ] provide your name, the types of cases you're accustomed to handling, and where we can reach you if a suitable match turns up. Should you wish to be a part of the venture but under a [ her nose wrinkles, just barely: she can't believe she's about to say this ] superhero identity, that can be negotiated. Payment will be by commission, depending on how satisfactorily you complete your task.

If you have any questions you may direct them to this console. [ A short pause, for another smile. ] We look forward to working with you.

[ And with that, she turns off the feed. ]

[ooc: feel free to jump straight to action, she'll be at the office all day. ooc planning post is here, job list is here, and do fill out telepathy permissions if you have time, thank you.]

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[He assumes correctly. That and Monet just isn't expecting to be attacked or robbed. There's little of value in the office, she doesn't even keep the cash here.]

[She sits back in her chair and crosses one leg over the other, waiting for him to speak or move... and it's an open ended question. She can give him any number of answers that'd all be true (and a few would be lies) but she has a feeling he wouldn't appreciate it much, and she doesn't want to alienate somebody she's trying to trust.]

I want to go home.

[She purses her lips faintly, indicating this is a far less innocuous statement than her tone suggests.]

Since we've no idea when we disappear, the quickest way is to get rid of Tall, Dark, and Walked Out of a Cheap Horror Movie. Hence [she gestures to the stack of files on the table.]

[His eyes flick to the files and then back to her in quick succession. There's not much more than that to indicate his train of thought, except for the lines tightening slightly around his eyes, and the slight kneading of his folded hands.]

[Her goal is simple. On his way here, he'd conjured up all sorts of scenarios in his mind: this was a front, he'd been sure, for something deeper and perhaps morally gray. He came here hoping to explore their alliance and, if appropriate, strengthen it by laying a foundation in business. But if she's to be believed... maybe this needn't be so complicated as a game of chess.]

[Maybe.]

[A few more heartbeats pass, and then Leo tilts his head curiously, his hands lowering from his face so that his mouth is visible.]

You're keeping as many ears to the ground as you can. Kedan included.

[That's the conclusion he's drawing, anyway, and his tone is approving.]

[It's a front, but a simple one. Monet herself liked to build up the image that she was the brains of the outfit - she had a genius level intellect to back it up - but she vastly preferred being glorified muscle. As much as she likes chess, the real world wasn't a game, wasn't simple. As much as she liked to give Madrox lip, she was loyal to him, and his goal was to help people, that was as black and white as it got, for her. Even her own goal... why make enemies when she could make allies? - there weren't mutants here specifically, just people who'd been made victims of something they had no power to control.]

[They'd been victimised and left powerless. She can't stand for that - the wound is too close to her own heart to ignore.]

[His silence is refreshing, and she speaks after a half-beat.]

My own ears can only do so much.

[A small smile.]

And it's useful to know who's here and what they're willing to do. Money is a powerful motivator.

[Leo's mouth twitches upward in a smile, and just like that, his firm countenance breaks into one considerably more relaxed. He pulls himself straighter in the chair, placing his elbows on the armrests. It's a markedly less guarded position overall.]

Never had much use for it myself. [A good-humored dismissal, almost an inside joke. When you spend your whole life either scavenging for food, stealing it, or accepting freebies from your human friends, money doesn't hold a lot of swing over you.]

Besides... [his gaze drifts to the side, contemplative. After a beat, he snaps it back to Monet, his mouth thinning.] I've got all the motivation I need. Brothers, waiting for me at home.

[It's his silent offer: count me in.]

Making life difficult for me?

[She uses people where she can; there's those she can't bribe, bully, or sway to her own side, Monet doesn't mind seeking them out. She'd vastly prefer their goals aligned with hers.]

How long have you been here, anyway?

One year... give or take.

[Said without much hesitation. Of course, he doesn't feel the need to bring up that his lamenting a one-year anniversary with metaphors was what led to them meeting in the first place. No one needs to know that.]

One ye—

[The shock is out before she can disguise it, and she does her best to be a bit more restrained.]

I'm sorry.

[Her reaction earns a wry smile from Leo. He hadn't been expecting her sympathy, but it doesn't surprise him, and it's pleasant to hear from her.]

I only wish I'd been able to spend more of it being useful... but it's all the more reason to keep things moving. I'll help you out wherever I can.

Being away from family isn't easy, and frankly there's not much we do know about the summoning process. Now that the former Emperor is dead, I doubt we'll get much information about it.

[She thinks it's the key to going home, and she trails off, uncertain where to go next.]

[It's Leo's turn to let his reaction run away before he can control it; his face sours, jaw shifting as it clenches. It lasts only a moment before his expression smooths out, but his voice nonetheless carries a strained note when he responds.]

People are still being summoned here thanks to her failsafes. There has to be something that keeps it going.

[Instructions, charms, magical tools, whatever. A whole system can't just survive off of nothing forever, right?]

[She didn't expect her words to trigger something that deep in Leo - her expression and body language both soften.]

My sources say our opponent uses blood magic; it's possible she did too. It appears particularly potent in this world.

[It's certainly not her fault - Leo's had a brother come back recently, and neither of them are entirely happy about the circumstances under which it happened. But he leaves it behind quickly, and at her next statement, he raises an eye ridge that is not at all approving of the concept.]

Can't say I've ever had the pleasure of running into blood magic in my world. Mind giving me a crash course?

[Even if it sounds pretty self-explanatory. And very very ominous.]

[She laughs, more because she's a bit tired and exasperated by the whole concept at this point.]

I would if I knew anything about it, [shaking her head] but we can't go wrong if we guess that blood or sacrifices are involved with the spells - I don't know if they'd use circles or symbols. Before we arrived they probably used kedan. Now... those dead clones have to go somewhere. A mutant's blood? Or a metahuman's? Who knows what that does to the process?

...and who knows what our enemy could do with it. [He leans forward again, eyes narrowing.] Okay. We're obviously out of our element here, but you've got the right idea. The kedan are the only window we have into this world... and apparently, the Foreigners are the only ones with the power to change it.

[Gently, she corrects:] Is doing with it - kedan blood, anyway. There was some nasty business with a few cults about half a year ago, [she had to stalk a few kedan for some weeks but it was information well worth it. She sighs, softly.] I spoke to Messieurs Temeraire and Enjolras. From what they said [and she read their minds, or tried as much as she could, but she has no clue whether Leo would necessarily suspect her of that or not] it needs something from us. Fear, or turbulence.

Edited 2014-02-23 10:41 (UTC)

[He nods his agreement, because he had indeed followed the train of thought to its inevitable destination: their blood. If Foreigner blood could be used for more powerful magic, as their pet theory went, then it's unfathomable what their enemy would be able to do if he got his hands on it. Leonardo has never been particularly adept when it comes to magic, but he does know that this is something that is bad.]

And they're friends of yours? [He recognizes Temeraire's name, at least, but the secondary question is still clear: does she view them as trustworthy?]

[She gives him a smile that says oh you sweet summer child.]

Do you think I'm the sort to have friends?

[Okay, he set himself up for that one.]

Point taken.

[He could call her out, say she's befriending him now; she's glad he doesn't.]

That said, their information is accurate.

All right then. [If she says it's accurate, he believes her.] So we're at a standstill... for now.

Up until this [she taps the desk] kicks into action. Fortunately they aren't too suspicious of us, but they also don't know our full abilities.

[He re-crosses his arms, tapping a finger against his bicep.]

And I take it we're planning to keep it that way?

Edited 2014-03-02 04:03 (UTC)

[Hm nicely defined biceps.]

I certainly am. You?

I wouldn't be much of a ninja otherwise. [Which he is, by the way. If the whole...window thing didn't make it obvious.]

[A teasing smile.]

Careful, you'll put yourself into a box with that kind of thinking.

action;

duelkatana - 2014-03-02 04:31 (UTC) - Expand

action;

superieure - 2014-03-02 04:34 (UTC) - Expand

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