What that woman is thinking

[Wharil Choc]

Sure the Chantry was open to magi of the city that had need for it. Sure it also doubled, at least to the sleeping world, as a boarding house and would therefore have all sortys of visitors coming in and out. But there were late visiting hours, and then there were obscene hours. There'd been a stirring at the door. The bell rang. The usual chantry custodians answered it and...all fell silent again. Only the downstairs light stayed on, possibly to the chagrin of the others who had to stay there, the ones that had left their bedroom doors open. And if that wasn't bad enough, every so often there was a fast and steady thump-thump-thump-thump-thumping coming from down there. As if whatever or whoever it was just couldn't keep still.

[Rene Vitalli]

*She was awake. Barely. The series of stretches she did before bed nearly complete. Rene was relaxed and assured that even in sleep she would be limber. Quick to react should something happen. Her blades are arranged under her pillow. All that was left was to stretch, relax and -thump-thump-thump-thump-thump! Rene twitches in irritation, exhaling and standing fully. A spider is flicked off of her wrist as she grabs a loop of wire and moves towards the sound. Towards the library.*

[Rene Vitalli]

Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 10 (Success x 3 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1 [dex stealth]

[Wharil Choc]

Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 1, 2, 2, 2, 6, 8, 9 (Success x 2 at target 6) [Perc+Alertness: Wuzzat?]

[Wharil Choc]

[Result:...the wind!]

[Wharil Choc]

thump-thump-thump-thump-thump! There's someone in the library, obviously. He's got his back turned to the door and his face brried in a book, something on the higher points of extended rituals. For a moment he stops reading. His leg stops shaking. The man himself damn near stops breathing and he lifts his head, turning to one side to reveal Wharil Choc in profile. He stays like that for all of three seconds. Maybe five. Then, certain that it was nothing, he turns back to his book. And his leg goes back to its work as well. thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!

[Rene Vitalli]

Dice Rolled:[ 7 d10 ] 3, 5, 5, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10 (Success x 5 at target 6) Re-rolls: 1 *Ah. It was Wharil. Wharil was a friend. And its with that in mind she approaches and makes to slip the garrote over his head in one swift motion. Tightening it only to the point of constricting his airway pleasantly. Playful.* [What a day for a garrote. What a day for a garrote now!]

[Wharil Choc]

There was something at his throat, something strangling him. His grasping fingertips tell him its something whip thin, wired. There's a part of his brain that things "This is a garrote" and a neighboring part that thinks "Euthanatos use garrotes. A Euthanatos lives here. One that I know. Oh, that plucky Rene." Sadly, neither of those parts of the brain are in charge this very second. In this very second, he panics. He reaches for the garrote and his fingernails scratch at the skin of his own throat, leaving loud, red welts and peeled skin. Then he stands, which only changes the angle and makes things worse, not better. Still he scratches at the garrote. Still he scratches at his own throat. And the only thing he says is something like: "Ach! Aaughhhh-gachk! Auch!"

[Rene Vitalli]

*Not wanting to actually strangle the foolish boy, she releases one end of the garrote and allows it to go limp, withdrawing a step backwards as she does so. Her lips quirk into a ghost of a smile, one eyebrow lifted mischievously. This was a good joke. She was sure of it.*

[Wharil Choc]

There's a sudden gasp, and he wheels around, free of what he considered a near strangulation. As soon as he saw Renee both his eyebrows almost met, though it wasn't clear whether that was from some kind of annoyance, or just the desire to get breath back into his lungs. "You--cough--You think that's pretty funny, huh?"

[Rene Vitalli]

I do. *She lifts her chin in a nod, watching him splutter dispassionately. Rene blinks, before continuing in her conversation.* What are you researching?

[Wharil Choc]

He tosses the book on the couch he'd previously been sitting on. "Long term rituals. I'm...working on something...but its gotta last." He rubbed his hands over his throat, still feeling the phantom pressure of the garrote. "Jesus, you could have killed me, y'know?"

[Rene Vitalli]

No Wharil. Had you gone unconscious I would have resuscitated you immediately. *She shakes her head slightly, gesturing he come closer.*

[Wharil Choc]

"Well that's a sweet sentiment, but not exactly comforting." His voice was a little hard. Still a little, or perhaps more than a little annoyed. And yet, he moves closer to her as requested. Or was it commanded? No time think of it now, he was already close enough to reach out and touch. Closer. "You play too rough sometimes, you know that?"

[Rene Vitalli]

Dice Rolled:[ 3 d10 ] 3, 5, 10 (Success x 3 at target 5) [WP] It was a joke. Nevermind. *At that she does purse her lips ever so slightly, strong dark fingers slipping to feel for a spot in the center of his chest. A apider ambles over the back of the couch as she works his chakra.* [life3 - 1 spec foci]

[Wharil Choc]

He allows her touch him this time, without argument, and when she's done he touches at the previously raw scratches at his throat, and swallows visibly. "Mm. Thanks."

[Rene Vitalli]

She speaks in that polite child's murmur.* In future do not defend. Give your full body weight so that one must lean over, and then attack.

[Wharil Choc]

"Huh. Lets hope I can remember that. Lets also hope I never actually have to. What are you doing up anyway?"

[Rene Vitalli]

Your legs annoy me.

[Wharil Choc]

Its obvious he doesn't know how to react to that, and for a while he just stares at her stupidly. Eventually, however, he just bursts into a soft laugh. "Aw. I'm sorry. Its a subconscious thing, really. I didn't realize I was...sorry."

[Rene Vitalli]

How is your throat Wharil? *It was a stupid thing to ask. She knew. She'd fixed it. But people asked similarly stupid questions all the time to make each other feel better. And so Rene gives it a shot now. It perhaps wold seem more like concern if she weren't holding a garrote, and peering at Wharil like his answer was the key to whether she reapplied it or not.*

[Wharil Choc]

"Fine." He says, and his hands splay across the flesh there, apparantly hoping to defend against another garroting. "Why, what's wrong? What did you really do to it.."

[Rene Vitalli]

*Rene raises an eyebrow.*

[Wharil Choc]

He raises one right back. At least at first. Eventually he seems to decide that he was being unreasonable. He stops. He hesitates in stopping, but he stops looking at Rene in that vaguely accusatory manner. He sits again, moving around the couch and picking up the book anew. "You remember those guys from the other night?"

[Rene Vitalli]

I do. *She's watching him with an eyebrow up and almond eyes narrowed. Once he stops mean mugging her,s he stops looking at him like she's a step away from lethal violence. She leans on the couch and turns the corner of a lip up. She murmurs. * What about them?

[Wharil Choc]

"Well they've been at this kidnapping gig for a while now. And I'm sure they don't just borrow them for the night. If so, that' should be a lot of missing people. And a lot of missing souls. If they haven't returned to the wheel I may be able to call the names of their victims and sick them on the attackers." He'd been leafing through the book all the while but, not finding what he was looking for, he snaps it shut. "They'll be haunted until...until they turn themselves in. I've used it a couple times before, and just the suggestion of guilt was enough. But...that was Africa. This isn't."

[Rene Vitalli]

I see. *Rene considers this, flicking a spider off the back of the couch, sending the arachnid sailing past Wharil. Her eyes remain on him too long, boring a hole into him coldly.*

[Wharil Choc]

"What?" He sets the book aside, looking at her curiously. "What are you thinking?"

[Rene Vitalli]

Why would it work in Africa, and not in this situation?

[Wharil Choc]

His expression drops slightly. Something a touch darker. It doesn't take him any time to come up with an answer for her. "A lot more angry souls in Africa. They wouldn't even have to all be victims of the same man. They were all victims."

[Rene Vitalli]

mm. *That made sense. She nods her head slightly, eyes drifting to her shadowed silhouette. Her eyes narrow at it and she shifts position slightly, watching the change in shape.*

[Wharil Choc]

He watches her, and his eyebrows knit together. Only this time they're accompanied by a smile. "I've seen you do that before. Play with your shadow. Why do you do that?"

[Rene Vitalli]

Many reasons. *She says sharply, straightening. She notes the smile belatedly and adds more quietly.* Why do you look in the mirror?

[Wharil Choc]

"Uhm. I dunno. To make sure there's nothing on my face or my hair. Make sure i don't look like a complete idiot before leaving the house." He shrugs. Thats about all he could think of.

[Rene Vitalli]

To see yourself. *Rene watches him too intensely. Dark eyes glittering with what could very well be malice. Aesthetically pleasing in structure, wholly repulsive in presentation. Her voice rings small and discordant to her appearance.* Do you understand?

[Wharil Choc]

"Yeah." He says, and slowly the smile fades. It did so particularly the longer he examined her expressions. The heat in her look was enough to wilt his own cheer, even though it had survived all the way to this ungodly hour. Bot god, was she beautiful. "I'm sorry I didn't...I wasn't thinking. Listen, I'm gonna get out of here. I'll let you get back to...whatever you were doing. I'm sorry i disturbed you."

[Rene Vitalli]

Preparing for bed. *Rene blinks at him. He was suddenly nervous. She glances to the wire in her hand. That was probably it.* I don't intend on playing another joke.

[Wharil Choc]

He scoffs, unable to help himself. "God, I hope not." He turns to her, and there's a moment of hesitation, but eventually he stands and goes to replace the book on the shelf. "How are you with your manas, Rene? Your mind magic?"

[Rene Vitalli]

I find it very difficult. *She straightens from her lean on the couch, spider dropping from the book case.*

[Wharil Choc]

"Hm. That's interesting actually. Maybe we should get together some time and...I dunno, maybe I can help."

[Rene Vitalli]

*Rene is looking at Wharil with such intensity it seems like at any moment she's crawl out of her skin and into his. She lifts her chin.* Yes. *The lithe black woman smooths a hand over her abdomen, ridding her tight wifebeater of a wrinkle over a flat scarred stomach. She moves effortlessly towards Wharil, a liquid stalk of long legs before she's standing directly in front of him, garrote in hand, chin upturned. She levels a gaze across at her fellow euthanatoi, almond eyes raw and unflinching . * I would like that. Goodnight Wharil. *And with disturbing grace, she snaps on her heel and heads back the way she came. Leaving the room free of her presence but for a few lingering spiders, and the faintest scent of grapefruit.*

[Wharil Choc]

He stiffens slightly as she approaches, but then that scent hits him. Grapefruit. He knew that smell of grapefruit. Some would even say he knew that smell of grapefruit. That smell wasn't unpleasant in the least bit. And the proximity of the woman suddenly had him...expectant. He gave the woman an even stare, though raw and unflinching weren't exactly the right words for this. Then, just like that, she's gone. Wharil sighs and runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "I really have to find out what that woman is thinking." And it was with that thought that he turned off the light in the library, and made his way beck to his car outside.