An Assassin In Keeliai.: Arno Open

[stubbornlittleshit]

Characters: Arno Dorian and YOU!
Date: April Catch All
Location: Throughout Keeliai, notably the hotel, a trashy bar, and the market.
Situation: 3 Openings throughout the month, or PM/Plurk me to choose your own adventure!


Option A. The Midnight Hotel:

[Like any instinct one has lived with for a long time, Arno's is to find high ground, and a clear view of just about any obstacles he might face. In order to get that, one must climb. He's avoided trying his skills on the hotel so far, having heard the place is somehow magical. All skepticism aside, he does know better than to mess with anything that has properties he cannot entirely identify. Well, most of the time.

At the moment, though, his better senses have taken a bit of a side trip, which is, of course, naturally, the reason why he's attempting it now, though something keeps him from reaching the top, and as it does, he finds himself dropping off by no fault of his own. The first attempt makes him only more determined to try again, and then another. It's becoming evident, though,that every time he IS pushed off the surface, it is into a different area, a different sector, of the city. ]

Merde [He's cursing once, before it hits him. Come to think of it, the hotel could provide a possibility. Should he manage not to be noticed in any of the districts, particularly those with a larger population, it would make for some excellent practice ground,and he can claim a method to his madness. Of course, considering he's looking like a bit of an idiot here, maybe not. But, please, let him know if he's spotted anyway. He could use a critique, honestly.]

Option B: A Pub

[If there's one thing Arno appreciates, it's the fact that, as much as the kedan don't seem to like them very much, there ARE still places to drink here. He's been in almost constant need of a drink for the couple months he's been here, and, by now, he's become a regular at a fairly trashy little pub, which, sadly, has an equally trashy little wine selection. At the moment, he can be found either at the bar itself, or, more likely, perched at a table in the corner, leaning back on two rungs of his chair, dirty boots propped up on the surface of the table itself, and a half finished glass in hand. Occasionally, he's calling out to passers by, those who look a little gullible, admittedly.]

I've a pair of dice and deck of cards! [He's calling out every so often, rocking back in the chair, and looking fairly smug as he does that.] Any takers, perhaps?

Option C: The Market

[Arno may have his phantom blade back on his wrist and a selection of bolts for it at the ready, but he presumes he'll need more at some time, and he's also entertaining ideas for a new sort of weapon, especially after speaking to Aya and trying to help her cool down. Still, the basic goods that he's securing to attempt messing around with his idea are a little strange. At the moment, he's inspecting fans, wooden, paper, silk, debating the best sort to use, and purchasing rather a lot of them, though you don't want to know where he got the Juulan, really. At any rate, it IS starting to look a little...odd. And that's before he's started looking at the available knife blades, even. As of now, he can be spotted inspecting the goods, and haggling a little over the price of a particular fan, silk screened, with the image of a turtle. It's...interesting to watch him try to charm the kedan, if nothing else.]

Comments

C?

[inkulcation]

[Interesting? One could say that. China's not at all going to step in, though, partially because she would be a large distraction and partially because she actually is deriving some entertainment from watching the gentleman attempt the charm approach. Intimidation really would have served him a little better.]

[She does watch intently, though, from the other side of the street, leaning a little ways out of the main stream of traffic. She's neither subtle in her regard nor is she someone who blends into a crowd, and if and when Arno notices he's being watched all she'll do is smile at him, a small and self-confident expression.]

Re: C?

[stubbornlittleshit]

[When he notices her, Arno is quirking a brow in China's direction, returning that smile, but looking just a little cautious.]

Are my financial pains diverting, Mademoiselle</>? [That one is coupled with a grin to show he is not being serious.]

[inkulcation]

[A tiny laugh, and she crosses toward him.]

Diverting enough, Monsieur.

[The answer in kind is mostly to see what he does with it, rather than a preference for French; she sounds, if anything, Irish.]

It's your tactics I question, rather.

[stubbornlittleshit]

[The comment does grant her a little smirk, for half a moment, before Arno's gaze becomes, not thoughtful, exactly, but a bit more...enterprising, perhaps. And then, he's laughing, less scornfully than playfully.]

And you would care to show me better? If you would care to demonstrate, I certainly would like to see your technique at work.

[inkulcation]

[Oh this won't even be fair. She gives it a moment of visible thought.]

In the pursuit of education, I suppose I might.

[And, because she is proud, she does, gives him a little finger-wave indicating to follow as she heads a few stalls down. China doesn't exactly haggle; she compliments the seller, their wares, takes the conversation for a brief detour through the weather, and smiles very earnestly. It probably shouldn't work, not quite the way it does, but somehow she comes away from the conversation paying only a fraction of the initially asked price for the jar of ink now in her hands.]

[stubbornlittleshit]

[Arno finds himself trailing along, watching rather closely as she moves through, managing, and, when she's finished, he's very clearly visibly impressed.]

Oh you ARE good.

[inkulcation]

I am.

[China agrees as if it's just a fact of life to be acknowledged, that she's very good at charming people. Regardless of whether or not she cheats, by everyone else's standards.]

[She does take some several steps away from the vendor, moving back down the street a little.]

Your bargaining tactics, I suppose, must necessarily come from a very different place.

[stubbornlittleshit]

They must. I suppose the wheedle and the pleasant smile are not good enough tactics, really, are they, when it comes to this? Other tools may be a good idea to add.

[inkulcation]

[China laughs very quietly, for reasons not immediately apparent. She's still smiling, though, it's not laughter at his expense.]

I'm sure with the right audience, they work admirably for you. The kedan here, however, are a little bit harder to please.

[She takes a moment to nod to what he was after.] A fan?

[stubbornlittleshit]

Ah, so they are. I'm finding that.

And ah, yes.

[There's a little eyedart there.]

I have been considering interesting...modifications something like a fan could have.

[inkulcation]

[Almost a shifty gesture, that. If he's not careful, China might think he's... up to something.]

Modifications.

In the vein of a tessen, or something a little more... subtle?

[There's a lot you can do with silk and wood, if you're inventive.]

[stubbornlittleshit]

Quite along those lines, yes. Cloaked in a bit more lace and frills though, to make it harder to notice, though. It'd help with going undercover. Or, well, sending people in for that.

[inkulcation]

Lace and frills. [She sees what he's getting at, but that doesn't make it any less amusing.]

Yes-- lace and frills would do rather the opposite for you, I think. And where do you imagine going undercover might be necessary in such a wonderful, peaceful city?

[Is that sarcasm? That's probably sarcasm.]

[stubbornlittleshit]

For me, yes. [Arno can acknowledge the point. He cleans up well, but still.]

For others, well. I have an associate in particular I was considering. Her line of work takes quite a lot of those things. And I'm hoping I can retain whatever I learn if I manage to get home.

[inkulcation]

Her line of work, hm?

[Seamstress, or prostitute? Occasionally the same thing, depending what city and what era you ask.]

They say it's impossible to carry memories home with you. Though that doesn't seem to stop people hoping. I certainly hope you have something a little bit more concrete than that, though.

[stubbornlittleshit]

Ah yes.

[Not quite either of those.]

Elise is in a unique social position. One that involves being rich and fanous. It puts her into dangerous situations where people who want her dead could easily do it with no protection.

And do we not? That IS too bad. I'd looked forward to my slightly past self being a bit more...educated in some manner. I need that.

[inkulcation]

A tessen might serve her, then. Though as with all weapons, it may be taken away.

[She gives Arno a speculative look, this time with an eye to his clothing in specific.]

When and where are you from, exactly?

Though I suppose at this point advice will be fruitless. It's a shame; there's information I would find useful to retain, as well.

[stubbornlittleshit]

It could be, yes. And I have no doubt that she WOULD think of something but...it does help to pass the time, trying to find solutions to some of these problems as they occur to me.

[For the most part, he's wearing everything he had on him at the time that he arrived here, yes. Still, he's pausing a moment, trying to gauge if using locations from his real world will be known here. Worth a try though.]

Ah, Paris in the midst of the first French Republic. A lot of good it's actually doing. You...seem to be from later? I've met people since then." He's adding as an explanation.

[inkulcation]

Ireland. Dublin, most recently, near the beginning of the twenty-first century.

[It's audible in her voice if he's paying attention, though not as strongly as some here.]

What other problems have you been considering fixes for?

[She's... genuinely curious. He has some thoughtfulness to him.]

[stubbornlittleshit]

[That's...a long way from the 18th century. Arno's gotten over the shock of people saying things like that, but STILL. It's incredible to consider all the same. So many years. So many possibilities. He wonders, the way he didn't when he was new here, if the Brotherhood is still around in any of these places, or the Templar Order, by the same coin. Tony hadn't heard of them where HE is from, but it doesn't mean it may not be possible. For now, he's holding off on asking directly though, although, now she mentions it, there is a bit of it there, yes. Not quite Shay's level of it, but still.]

Now that you mention, I do hear it. And as far as other ones, well, there are a few that come to mind, most of them to do with defenses that allow you to look defenseless. It's too often someone can run into you at the last minute, and if you aren't prepared...

I was pondering something in the way of a blade attached to a boot itself. Like spurs with a bit more bite but that would need some kind of retraction, wouldn't it?

[inkulcation]

[If they existed in her world, China would find a way to know about them. Probably.]

[China's own solution for the looking defenseless goal is, unfortunately, a one-woman solution.]

It would, unless the wearer means to be stabbing everything they stumble over.

Tapping it against a hard surface would solve part of that problem, though conceivably dull the blade tip. And it would need to stay retracted. [She tips her head a little, in genuine thought rather than active allure.] Still, the mechanism ought to be relatively simple.

[stubbornlittleshit]

Definitely problematic on a dance floor at a party. Imagine it, weaving one's way through the crowd when suddenly Madame somebody's great aunt is bleeding. Entirely the wrong impression, I would say.

[He's grinning as he imagines the chaos, rather liking it, actually.]

True. Popping out a blade in and of itself is not so hard. But yes...it needs work as an idea. There IS always the old trick of hiding knives and daggers in one's wig, as a totally other option. It could get LOST of course, in all of the chalk and horsehair but...

Conceivably at least, it would present less issues and allow itself to be a bit more...unisex, I think the word is?

[inkulcation]

[China laughs, genuine and melodious.]

Which hardly lends itself to being undetected, it's true.

[Wigs? Ah. Paris. Those were truly fascinating fashions she will be glad never to experience again.]

The old tricks endure for a reason. Properly secured, losing a blade shouldn't be an issue.

[Shouldn't. Shouldn't is the key word there. But he has a point, and China can see it working.]

[stubbornlittleshit]

[And his grin grows with the laugh. Arno likes her, for her suggestions and the humor that she sees in things along those lines.]

Ah yes. With more than hairpins but manageable, still. At least, I should HOPE for that.

[inkulcation]

And there is always the tradition of poisoned hairpins.

[A wig would make those a little more practical, actually. Less risk of accidental self-poisoning.]

[China has not actually done that, but has seen those who have. Unpleasant.]