Sometimes infomal, seems formal (Izzy, Invite)

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar had gotten off of the train earlier in the morning today. It seemed like forever and far warmer in the west than the north. He wrapped his leather jacket around himself a bit tighter. Today he was wearing normal clothes, jeans and a T-shirt. Inside the jacket was of course his .45 pistols with suppressors on them. Today he had set up a semi-formal meet and greet with the intel head of the west.

Supposedly she had been doing her job fairly well and was recognized for that. She however was extremely odd and wasn't very sociable. Which translated to multiple possibilities to murazar. Either she was the analyst type of MI, or she had her own problems, or even disorders of some sort. He had studied people and socialized far too much. Couple that with training and he was a extremely formidable in that area.

To most he seemed like one of the ultimate ways to be, he however knew better. His power, skills, knowledge, and mindset were geared only for a handful of things. Human interaction of any kind, alchemy and combat. Anything else wasn't so much of a speciality as just some learned skills to help him out on the way.

Regardless, at the moment he was waiting in what seemed like a decent bar/restaurant and he had let the waiter and person at the front know that he was expecting a Miss Isabela. After all, for this it was best to go by first names since they should already know plenty about the other from dossiers and records. Gotta do your homework after all, also he figured first names would make them less suspicious to anyone around them or perhaps watching or listening to their conversation. Right now, he wasn't so much as concerned about intel as just getting to know a possible enemy or ally or even friend. He did after all like making friends, it was wonderful to have as many allies and as few enemies as you could if you could help it after all.

For the moment he sipped his glass of whiskey that had some ice put in it just to keep him from starting down the road of drunkenness. He kept a eye and ear out for anything at all that he might need to be aware of as he waited patiently.

[Guest]

It was a nice day. Not a cloud in the sky, nice and warm, perfect weather without the need for sleeves or a jacket. Not Rush Valley weather, but nice weather nonetheless. Still, Isabella wasn’t paying attention to the weather, but, rather, trying to find her way around town. She was supposed to meet up with the Head of military Intelligence from Briggs ten minutes ago, but… Damn, she couldn’t remember his name. Mara? Mora?.. Mura!

“At least I know part of his name,” she mutters to herself. He had at least mentioned something about keeping things informal over the phone, right? At least she was dressed informally enough. Just like in Rush Valley…

As she stood there on the street corner, punching away at what was apparently an invisible calculator, her confidence in herself began to drop rapidly. At least until she realized she was standing right outside of the pub they were supposed to meet in. “Well, that's just my luck...”

Entering the restaurant, she began to look around, completely blocking out the server’s existence. So many people, so many faces, and so many – there. The man in the leather jacket was certainly an oddity. Plus, she’d probably embarrassed herself a number of times on her way here, so she had nothing left to lose at this point.

Walking up to the man, her mind quickly cycled through the number of ways she could greet this man. Everything she had was just so… formal, though. A salute, a handshake, keeping some distance, a simple nod. She’d have to dig up an old file for this one.

“Mura!” she says with a happy tone and a smile on her face “So good to see you!” she adds, giving him a hug. Her body was screaming at her to pull away, but she ignored it. She had to, for the sake of national security. “Maybe…”

Sliding the chair opposite of him out from the table and taking her seat in it, she takes a deep breath, wondering how inappropriate that was. “So,” she says, somewhat awkwardly, “you wanted to talk?”

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar blinked in surprise as she went right up to him and hugged him. He was surprised, however he saw the slight hesistation before the hug at the last moment. The sharp, if small flinching motion from the hug. She wanted to pull away very badly as if she had just hugged porcupine. What surprised him was that she hugged him against all her instincts to not do so. Did she feel he was the Fox or Wolf in the dark that hunted all before him? Or did she just not like physical human interactions? It was a start.

He smiled and hugged her back, he however had no hesistations. It was just a motion to him, a symbol of friendship that had yet to even start. He did enjoy the hug, it was rare outside of briggs he got such a friendly gesture. Especially by a beautiful woman. He however reserved himself for Rei-chan, he wasn't going to betray her or anything she held dear again. Once was out of foolishness and never again would he be that kind of idiot.

Her awkwardness was kind of cute, it kind of relayed to the patrons around them that they were kind of like two old friends and the girl had a crush on the guy or something like that. They generally ignored them, Mura smiled brightly to her. He figured she deserved a true smile, he had to drudge up a memory of Rei-chan to do so." Of course Izzy. How have you been? City treating you well?" He kept it smooth and easy-going. He figured doing this like a normal meet would be fine enough.

He signaled the waiter to come over, he held up his drink to show her he had one and asked her with his continous smile." What kind of drink do you want? They've got all kinds here, i'd try some of the more exotic ones but I think i'd rather stay a bit sober to meet you." He gave a sly wink that he made sure the waiter or anyone else who was watching see. It covered the obvious cover that he had a crush on her too.

[Guest]

He was… Smiling at her. This is strange. Very strange. Uncomfortably strange. But she didn’t have the time to analyze it, now. She had to be operational, and think more quickly on her feet. “So stop thinking things over, then.” God, damn it…

“I’ve been pretty well, actually,” she says, absent-mindedly rubbing what remained of her left ring finger. “Just settling into the new job and all that. Lots of paperwork as you might imagine!” she gave a nervous chuckle, happy that she at least knew how to beat around the bush. Sometimes. “Still, it’s nice having a job,” she says honestly. “Even if it means being away from my family,” she lies without losing a beat, complete with a more serious tone and slightly depressed look. She’d said that sort of thing far too often to slip up on that.

“West City is actually… It’s a change of pace,” she continues. “Much different than Rush Valley – but, then again, so is everywhere else in Amestris.”

She looked up at the waiter, and then at Mura’s drink. Then at Mura as he… Winked at her? Alright, this is getting creepy. “I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks,” she tells the waiter, keeping her slight smile and pleasant tone. She didn’t normally drink, but when she did… “And no more than two ice cubes, please.” With a grin, she looked back at Mura. “And you what about you, Mura-Mura?” she asks. “How’ve you been?”

[Murazar Dauthi]

He figured she was highly uncomfortable with all the grinning, winking, smiles, and general small talk. She seemed a fair game at it, she just was too twitching, too nervous, overthinking alot of simple things. He figured she was best at being a analyst, at least until she got over a obvious bump or mountain as it was slowly seeming in social skills. He replied smiling at first deciding to just comment before talking about himself. After all it was becoming hard to determine a baseline of how she was when she told the truth. Every once in a while from what she said, she through out a lie or a understatement.

She was good, but he was better if only from exeperience and practice. " Thats wonderful, although its a bit more chilly up here than in Rush Valley if I remember when I was last there." He had been there plenty of times, mostly as a small time mercenary and he doubted anyone remembered his existance there except maybe some crime lords. He took a sip of his drink, the alchemical symbols obvious to anyone and he ignored it. He couldn't hide his alchemy too much if it was one of your primary weapons after all. He commented again, keeping his tone friendly of course." Its alright, you'll get used to the job. I think out of all of us with it i've been doing it the longest."

Seniority of course needed to be stated, a reminder that this was a meeting under semi-false pretenses to the rest of the crowd around them. He took another sip of his drink, his motions classical and styled. He seemed to have a flair of elegance about him, a flair that he had only due to his heightened skill for everything. He decided to answer her question before asking one of his own he was a bit curious about. " I'm doing very well, finally getting elevated to a higher position although it'll only be more of a hassle than this job is. I dont know what Reila was thinking of when she made me a partner." That right there was intel mixed with socializing.

If Izzy was worth any salt she'd have known that him getting promoted to be General Tsukinos partner was making him Head of the North. Which mean't someone else would take his place although he'd still be heavily involved in the Intelligence Community. It also mean't he would have to deal with Izzy's boss, it was a heads-up to her boss so he wouldn't be unprepared in dealing with him via talking. No one other than the Fuhrer knew of this and Briggs of course.

He asked her with the seemingly now normal for their cover smile," So hows the wind alchemy going along? I'm always fascinated how others interpret the Alchemy i've taken so far, considering its not in the slightest a simple alchemy to use compared to most others."

[Guest]

Those markings... in the open? So much for subtlety then.

She sat there, nodding politely to everything Mura said, only really having to think over that one name he said: Reila. Though, from her knowledge, and what he said, she could only narrow things down to one person stationed at Briggs. She made a mental note to try and remember that for later. Might come in handy for… something. Favors, probably.

“My alchemy?” she asks with a puzzled expression on her face. There were so many things he could referred to it as, but… Still, maybe people weren’t paying them much attention. “Not as well as I initially thought, but it’s going somewhere,” she says, her smile vanishing from her face. “It’s not so much the situational variables that I’m having problems with, but, rather, practical applications for atmospheric distortion.” She sighs. “I’ve run out of inspiration for the time being, as well, so I’ve been studying up on the math and mechanics related to my… art.” She knew she was being vague, but she was still unsure of how much information she really should divulge. “Currently, the only practical use I have is a sort of… reverse-explosion? Since it’s neither an implosion or explosion…” She pauses for a few seconds, thinking over her explanation. “Anyway, I’ve been slowly re-examining the basics, and I think I’m making progress towards a couple new discoveries."

"Hopefully..."

"Still, I suppose it can't hurt in the grand scale of things to branch out a bit, right?" she asks, with an eyebrow raised. "Then again, isn't the jack of all trades the master of none?"

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar cocked his head to the side, he was a bit more interested now. Although it was funny how she was trying to be vague about something that was obviously alchemy. If he wasn't hiding he was a alchemist why should she? After all if anyone was actively listening to them they would usually know who they were. If they didn't they could easily find out, the only parts you hid were the parts that needed hiding. He spoke up again interested and the first thing he said was the entire phrase of the jack of all trades." Heh, The Jack-of-all-trades, the master of none, yet better than a master of one."

He continued on with a knowing smile, " Maybe after this I could help you out with the wind alchemy. Although if I may say, you might find it more useful that instead of sucking in and exploding outward with the air you might want to waste less energy and instead just suck out the air in a select space and make it into a void where anything requiring oxygen dies." He shrugged lightly as he toyed with a pen on a piece of paper he just produced and created a crazy looking alchemical circle in which none of the drawing was spot on like a usual circle and instead a hectic and chaotic type of lines and circles. It was something that if he straightened it out and added more to it would be far more controllable.

Instead of that it was another option that he wanted to show, but would only last seconds and then become useless. He set the pencil on top of it and activated it and watched the pencil get crushed. He spoke up as he ripped apart the paper and pocketed half of it and the rest he gave to a passing waiter to throw away. No one saw the small demonstration, this time he spoke again as if it was normal. " Or you could use the air pressure to crush it all. Its all up to how creative you are." He tapped a finger to his temple twice to gesture that.

To him it was nothing he was a master of air and fire, and now the only one who used souls. He spoke again with a small smile, this time with subtley as he leaned forward and whispered just for her to hear," Loosen up, your nervous ticks and the way you talk make it more obvious than just two alchemists old friends meeting for a drink. For goodness sake, just pretend we're scientists old school buddies. After all one-fourth of amestris's population are alchemist. Its not that uncommon."

He leaned back after he spoke that and sipped his whiskey a bit more. He asked her delicately as if treading unknown waters." So you aren't considering branching out your alchemy? After all air is a fantastic booster to other alchemy types and other alchemy types can cover airs many weaknesses. "

[Guest]

She held back an eye twitch from what she felt was a demeaning lecture of air alchemy. No matter how informal this situation was, she felt the need to be polite. So, she’d give it a shot.

“You know,” she says, laying her left hand on top of her right, finally remaining still for the first time this meeting, “You seem to presume a awful lot about my level of thought on this matter from such a small amount of information.” She pauses, remembering the things he said in order. “So… Perhaps I should elaborate, yes?”

She stops as she sees the waiter coming back around, and takes her drink from the man with a slight smile. As he walks away, she takes a slow sip from the glass, before placing it on the table.

“For starters, I take it that you underestimate the raw power of this alchemy. Perhaps it is not as brutish as forming stone or steel weapons, or unimaginative as trying to kill something with fire, but what it is, I believe suits me. And, unlike some alchemists that rely on their alchemy to do their dirty work, I’d rather it enhance my own abilities.

“Now, I’ll admit that I’m not a terribly good thinker. I tend to think inside the box, which does lead to some problems with inspiration.” She takes another sip of her whiskey, now noticing that there are three ice cubes in it. “However,” she continues, “My box tends to be outside that of the majority of the populous, which at least gives me a slight advantage.” Maybe.

“I deal with air pressure, Mua, not wind. I need not concern myself with stirring up a storm or throwing a tornado out into a battlefield, but, rather, creating an isolated part of the atmosphere, and manipulating it to my advantage. What I do is not ‘suck in air’ and ‘explode it.’ Rather, I create a hemisphere, and force it inwards on itself. Concussion, broken ribs, crushed organs… Do these not buy time? Is there not something to take advantage of with this?” She looks at her hand, noticing she was spinning the ice in her glass of whiskey. With a short sigh, she puts the glass down.

“My job requires me to stay alive, and my skills emphasize speed, mobility, and counter-attacking. I must use my opponent’s strengths against them, make my own opportunities. So, forgive me that I don’t merely suck out the oxygen in an area and say, ‘would you mind standing there for a couple minutes to suffocate?’” She pauses, trying to gauge how far she’s overdone it.

“To you,” she continues eventually, much more calm in tone and appearance, “wind alchemy is an enhancer to other abilities. But to me? To push away objects and enemies that I don’t want to deal with at the moment, or into something that’ll cause serious bodily harm? To enhance my own punches, effectively doubling their force? That, Mura, is important. And as for the vacuum… It doesn’t exactly suffocate them, I’ve heard, but I need to get my hands on that research…” She quickly takes another sip of whiskey, realizing she’s probably overstepped the social boundaries by quite a bit at this point.

"So, in short," she adds meekly, "I'm not interested in branching out."

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar raised an eyebrow and leaned forward with interest, once she finished if albeit meekly at the end he spoke up. He was interested in her, he figured at this point she thought she either blew their cover or broke some social rule. He was getting a better read on her, although it was taking time. He paused for a moment as he had frowned throughout the entire process of listening and then smiled for a moment and decided to keep it that way before speaking as if slightly impressed.

" Good, you kept it polite and passionate about what you really think. Dont be ashamed of that, do it more. Your thoughts on the matter make sense, and I think they're pretty good ideas." He paused and nodded slowly, before grinning and downing his drink." If you wish we could go for a walk without so many eyes, we could talk more freely and maybe you'd be comfortable with less people around. Your pick." He smiled politely, and as he paused leaving the choice up to her he spoke up again.

" Just remind me to never try to fight you in hand to hand, even I might have trouble even with my Krav Maga. Although I have a alchemy none other in the world possesses that no one can defeat if applied enough times." He grinned wildly, his special kind of alchemy which was slowly introducing itself in the world. If she had done her homework she would have heard of his new alias and alchemists' name...Soul Catcher...

He decided at that point to wait for her to decide whether to leave the premise or not. Either way didn't matter to him, although he did hope she didn't ask for a demonstration of his soul stealing alchemy. It was rather unpleasant...

[Guest]

Isabella perked up, raising an eyebrow. “So, the Soul Catcher has somewhat loose lips?” With a grin, she downs the remainder of her whiskey, slamming the glass down on the table with a satisfied sigh. “I’ll pay for this round, if you don’t mind,” she says, standing up and slipping her hand into one of her belt pouches, slipping a rather large bill under her whiskey glass. “We go. Now.” Gripping him at his wrist, she nearly dragged him up and out of the bar.

“So,” she says with a smile when they get outside, letting go of his wrist, “there’s an unpopular park about half a mile east of here. Perhaps you can divulge some information there?” She had trouble keeping her giddiness contained. It was just… A new alchemy! Something that technology couldn’t replicate, at least not that she knew of. Something new to analyze and break down, understand… “I promise I won’t tell!” she says honestly. “But, until then, your choice of topic?” A change of topic would, indeed, be a nice change of pace. She certainly needed to calm down. But… new alchemy!

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar grinned wildly as she literally pulled him out of the bar and was giving him a opportunity to use his power. He blinked in surprise as she actually spoke true, that she would tell no one else. He sighed and laughed before deciding on a grin and waving a finger in front of him, " Very well, although I can't reveal how its done or too much about it. You'll get to know more than most though." He paused a moment as he held his finger under his chin before motioning for her to lead the way as he spoke up again.

" Lets see then, what was your inspiration for alchemy if you dont mind me asking? I'm always fascinated by why people do things more than almost anything. It bespeaks more about them than even they realize." Although only asking her why on her alchemy would only be a start, his follow up questions if they received answers would have the answers he was fishing for.

And he was a very good fisherman, although luck played alot into the game as well as skill. He smiled as he figured that even if she didn't give a clear cut answer. This was the best moment to ask due to her being excited at the moment. He was also keeping everything about himself on the down low while he learned more. Everyone always thought they knew everything about him, until they realized they knew nothing at all. Few knew who he really was.

[Guest]

“Wouldn’t be much of a secret if you divulged everything,” she comments, still happy enough to soon be learning the mechanics.

She paused slightly at his question. “Well, I was a bit of a hell raiser when I was young,” she says with a smirk. “Rush Valley was my playground, and… I wasn’t very good at keeping out of trouble. So, my parents decided that, instead of punishing me, that I should start learning something useful. So, they introduced me to the family business.

“I was, of course, too young and inexperienced to work on automail. That requires being part doctor and engineer right there.” She chuckles. “Anyway, so my parents kept handing me these books, right? Metal working, medical manuals, electrician guides… They all kept my interest for a little bit, but that died away quickly. But then…” She sighed, looking up to the sky and smiling. “My dad, who I guess was angry, asked me to fix an old vacuum tube. I just remember sitting there, staring at it, pondering over that piece of outdated technology for hours at a time. It just… intrigued me.

“After I got around to fixing it, I asked my dad for more like it, and my parents couldn’t argue. I was doing something constructive instead of destructive.” She paused for a second, fast-forwarding through segments of her life. “It was only a matter of time before I discovered an old alchemy book, and then a teacher.”

This was certainly a strange experience for her. Normally, she kept to herself, but… For once, was she having positive human contact? Maybe. Then again, she was being too talkative. Again.

“But I’ve ranted too much already about myself,” she says, looking back at him. “So, what about you?”

[Murazar Dauthi]

He smiled now she was talking more actively, which was a good thing. She didn't seem to be a very open sort of person, this experience would be good for her. A odd feeling most likely, but a positive influence on her. He decided to speak his own story as they walked,"Lets see, I was born in that small mining town of Kanama to a miners family. My life was a bit harder since I was the only child in the household. Mostly I worked with my father in the mines from when I could hold a pickaxe without dropping it and at the same time went to school and studied."

He grinned to himself as they walked, it wasn't a pleasant one. It was obvious that despite his hardworking self he was displaying in the story. It was one he hated. He continued without dropping a beat. " For the most part I tried to get the highest grades and scores in class while taking the most jobs for the longest possible hours to get the most money for my family. One day I just found a old alchemical novel on using the air. It was my inspiration to become an alchemist after the first test came out positive that I could use it." He smiled a sad smile, it was obvious alchemy made him happy. Why it was also a sad smile, that remained to be seen.

" While studying at school and working long hours I learned alchemy and bought books to learn further. After I read and memorized one book I would seal it three times in a bag and bury it in the backyard of the shack I lived in. Eventually my dad died in a cave-in and my mother just froze up and hasn't come out of the shock of what happened when she heard the news. I left her in the care of some trusted people I knew and pay them monthly to take care of her." He paused, that last part was rushed through without nearly the detail of everything else.

He wanted to get it past and over with as fast as possible, it seemed his life dropped downhill. He had worked so insanely hard, and then it came to nothing as he lost it all. He spoke softly next the only obvious change in voice." Then I left and became a mercenary. Then I found briggs and rose to the top." That was shortened even further to the point where even someone skilled in reading emotions wouldn't know how to understand that.

He looked over to her with a grin," Our lives are just a bit different then. I'm not a automail mechanic although I may need one soon enough." He was referring to just how many battles and near-death experiences he had. There was plenty of reports on them and he had earned enough ribbon and medal specifically for combat and valor that he was just short of the craziest and most dangerously suicidal brave missions undertaken in history.

[Guest]

“And I’m not a decorated soldier. Our lives are as different as you perceive them,” she says looking up at the sky with a stoic expression. “I’m a person that looks to the future, ignoring the past. And if I had to guess, I’d say that you’re trying to run away from your past, or even simply trying to bury it. Something big enough, or enough small things, for a prideful man like yourself to skip over?” She smirks slightly. “Next time, either come up with something you can be proud of to add, or don’t go into as much detail on the other things. Take it from me: reading people is more than tics and facial expressions. However, I know better than to poke and prod someone for details they don’t want to part with, and I don’t blame you for keeping it close to your chest.

“Now, when it comes to automail, I’m sure I could help you out in a pinch, but I’ve been out of practice for a while.” Patting her belt, she double-checks that she has her basic tools and supplies on her. It never hurt to be prepared to fix a limb. “I don’t exactly have one of my own to worry about, though I don’t know if I think that’s a good or bad thing.” She ponders that for a moment until she remembers now isn’t the time. “If you have the time, I’d recommend taking the trip down to Rush Valley. As long as you don’t mention my name, my dad shouldn’t give you much trouble or hassle. Real kind and polite like that.”

Looking back ahead of her, she notices the entrance to the park. “So, any other questions you have for me before you make good on your promise?”

[Murazar Dauthi]

He smiled softly, he knew. No one was perfect, and while he revealed only as much as he wanted to revealing his personality to some degree was never a problem. He replied calm as always if with a knowing tone, " Aye, although it is more than tics or facial expressions. Manipulation comes with what you say and how you say it. I may be prideful of my capabilities, but i'm not overly so. I can be overcome just like anyone in this world."

He spoke true and earnest, he seemed to have no problem with admiting he was indeed prideful. He just wasn't excessively so, he had it in moderation of course. He spoke again quizzically," I would rather have someone I know work on me when it comes down to it. Just asking however, are you skilled enough to replace organs? If you are then I think i'll have to go to you one day soon. I might be in trouble." He was already planning ahead in case he failed, his plans were back-ups for back-ups. He just hoped he didn't even have to wander down this route.

He looked over as he saw the entrance appear, he looked around and he felt as if he knew where someone was watching them. He collapsed his posture to try and look weak, but had some money. Middle-class perhaps. It almost came naturally to him. He seemed to slouch as if from a hard days work. He looked over to Izzy and motioned for her to take up a similar tired posture. He indictated with small bits of military intelligence sign language that was concealed through normal gestures like scratching his head or folding his arms that they were being watched. He didn't know why he he knew, he just felt like he knew what was going on, the intentions of the person, what kind of guy it was, and exactly where he was. It was like instinct.

[Guest]

“Organs?” she ponders. “In theory, yes, but I’ve never actually done anything of the sort.” Her mind wanders off, wondering why such a man wouldn’t simply seek professional medical attention if he needed organs replaced. But, by the time she bothered to look back in his general direction, his stances was different, and he was moving his arms oddly, giving her a weird look. ”What the fuck is he doing?” she thinks, beginning to emulate him. Perhaps he was pulling her leg, but, then again, she was at a disadvantage in perception at the moment.

Taking a deep breath in, she gave a loud yawn, calming herself down. Slowly, her senses began to open up again as she forced herself down from her social high. Too much, perhaps. Keeping her eyelids half-open, she glanced around, her ears perking up at the slightest noise. “You’d think they’d keep this park looking better,” she said wearily, looking at the rather long grass. Perhaps she was distracting herself, or filling the silence, as she wasn’t quite sure for herself as to what she was trying to do. In a swift motion, she unclasped the case on her belt that held her fan. Best to be ready now than to be unprepared later.

[Murazar Dauthi]

He felt the eyes upon them get closer, he couldn’t explain why or how. Just that whoever it was closing in on them slowly and at a junction of where they would come closest to a tree and the tall grass. He spoke to Izzy as if tired when he wasn’t,” Yea, I think they ought to come here and cut the grass at least once a month.” He saw her pull her fan out in such an instinctive and trained way that it had to be a weapon of some kind. No one pulls something out like that without knowing its intent as deadly.

He motioned for her to put the fan away before saying,”Its not that hot out you know, if I can handle it. Then so can you, right?” He emphasized the small sentence of ‘I can handle it.’ He made it quiet enough to not warn their would-be mugger, but loud enough or rather just above a whisper for her to hear. Their would-be attacker didn’t even pause in mid-step as he moved quietly, every once in awhile he made a very small crackle of the grass as he moved. This man was very practiced and used to going to that very spot. Not half bad for a wanna-be.

He smiled to himself as the man suddenly jumped out from the bushes, Murazar enveloped the small area with the darkness sphere and Murazar and the Mugger froze. Within seconds the mugger dropped to the ground and Murazar’s darkness vanished inwardly to him. He looked over to Izzy with a knowing grin and asked,” Any questions?” As if he knew there would be questions.

[Guest]

Her mind was racing. Everything was there, right there, in front of her. But still, so many questions, so many potential answers, explanations.

Taking a deep breath in, she slides open her fan and begins to flick it back and forth, still trying to digest the series of events that just occurred. Even in her silence, she was trying to draw up the numbers. The raw energy involved, the mechanics of how the circle worked, both in theory and in practice. But she knew she wouldn’t get that kind of detail, the information required to replicate it. He was either selfish and greedy, for keeping such information close to his chest, or smart enough to realize the consequences.

”You’d do the same too, though,” she tells herself.

”There’s a lot of things I could ask,” she says in a serious tone, fanning herself while looking over the mugger’s body. Kneeling down, she pokes the body tentatively, trying to not get too close, as though she were expecting something. Satisfied with the lack of a response, she then checks the man’s pulse. ”I’m not a religious person, Murazar, but my father was. I’m afraid that what I always classified as an ‘irrational fear’ might have something to it, even if it’s accidental.”

Standing up straight, she snaps the fan shut, still looking down at the body. ”So, how does one go about stealing a soul? How does one even tap into such a source? How much energy is required, and what are the risks involved? You’ve bypassed a Pandora’s Box of questions, problems, unknown quantities, Murazar. That’s not even delving into ‘moral rights and wrongs’ either. So, perhaps it’d be best if you explained what you are willing to explain.” She looks over at him, her eyes focusing in on him. ”Or are you going to request that we find somewhere else to discuss this?”

[Reila Tsukino]

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