Predator in the Shadows

[Albel]

Albel walked into the Crooked Cat with a stoic expression on his pale face. He strolled right up to the bar, ignoring the horrific faces that were illuminated in the dim light. He wasn't afraid of them, if they tried to bother him he would silently slip a knife between their ribs and that would be that. He brushed some strands of long, black hair away from his face as he took a seat and ordered a drink. They probably all knew his name but they wouldn't know him because he would never give them his real name. He was an assassin, he lived in the shadows, besides agents of that pathetic Queen lurked around every corner and he was sure they wouldn't mind getting rid of him.

Once he had his drink he sipped it slowly, red eyes passing over every face. Would news travel quickly if the patrons of the Crooked Cat were suddenly murdered? Ripped apart?
Calm, Albel, you must be calm he thought, taking another sip of his drink.

What was it? That ardent desire he had to cause bloodshed. If any knew of his past they might presume that it was all to cover the memory of that first murder, a murder that hadn't even happened in this world, but no he would never admit to that. That was hardly the truth. Or was it? Albel never could decipher his own psyche, he didn't need to. So long as he got to continue living his life like this, an agent of chaos, a name to be feared then he would be happy.

Come on, someone start something, just come on over and play with the Wicked, come play with me, come on, come on! he urged silently, face never betraying a flicker of this lust for the macabre.

To taunt, to hurt, to smile triumphantly at a fallen adversay, oh how he wished to have some fun tonight! His body hummed with delight as lovely images played throughout his head. Ohhh he had to control himself, the sinister grin that longed to bloom across his features would only give him away. But maybe that is precisely what he wanted, Albel couldn't say for sure. He chuckled lightly to himself, earning some wary glances but nothing more exciting than that.

[Ragdoll]

Ragdoll, as she was known by many, entered the filth of a bar almost abruptly--as she tripped over the door frame when she tried to enter. Thankfully, she still managed to catch herself before she fell flat on her face, and as she searched for a place to sit she also searched for a good catch. Ragdoll was running low on money lately, it was a slow going for people wanting to buy information--and maybe in this slum she could pickpocket just enough to get a cold pint. Then, she could plan a robbery of some sort for tomorrow.

Her eyes roved over the patron-scum that were scattered about the room and, after being disgusted with many suggestive looks from some of the foul men that inhabited the pub, she caught sight of him. He wasn't bad, she could stand to sit with him and flirt for awhile before she took his wallet--but he looked very formidable. He had a sword, too, something Ragdoll generally avoided as a rule. After all, when and if someone figures out you robbed them; its best they don't have something that could hack you to bits...

In the end, Ragdoll decided it was worth it. She could always talk with him and wait until he was too drunk to notice her lifting the wallet--ah, but that would also take some time. With a sigh at the prediction of a good hour until she had money for a pint, she made her way over to where the man was sitting. At first, she opened her mouth to ask if the seat was taken, but then thought better of it and just sat down. She aimed a smile at him--well, more of a smirk, but none the less "You look like you're about to slice someone's head off" she commented, only now noticing his near radiating aura--however, she didn't falter as she delivered the line. She could just about taste that pint...

[Albel]

Albel was trapped in the wonderfully dark recesses of his mind for the time being, images of violence flashing before red eyes as he just sat with that soft smile on his face, seemingly calm and harmless. His eyes slowly shifted when he heard a voice next to him and he turned his face from the crowd to take in the one who had decided to sit down next to him. He was used to remaining in shadows, away from people but that did not mean he was on edge around them. No, in order to keep suspicion from him, Albel had spent much of his life learning to mingle in a crowd, to hold decent, civilized talk with those he had no business with. Which was why he was able to keep the smile on his face even after her little comment.

"Ah, do I?" he asked, tone lilting and peaceful. Not his true voice, not the voice that matched the instability of his mind. "And yet you still choose to sit next to me. I wonder if perhaps you have a death wish," he chuckled quietly, lifting the glass to his lips, taking a sip, setting it down. Such a routine-based activity, drinking was. Alas, much of life was fixed into a monotonous routine, Albel enjoyed killing people because there were so many ways in which to do it and that kept him from drowning in boredom. He shook his head slightly, he found it odd that she would choose to say something like that while so close, didn't people normally avoid those who appeared threatening?

"In any case, I assure you that I won't be slicing off any heads tonight," he said, a slight gleam to his eyes. Not tonight, no not tonight, tomorrow though...well tomorrow was an entirely different day. "Hm, where are my manners...my name is Erik," he had to lie about his name. Albel was arrogant and even if someone didn't have any idea who 'Albel the Wicked' was he believed that anyone he met had heard of him and so kept his identity a secret. Except to his targets, they were the special ones, they got to know exactly who was killing them. He shuddered slightly.

Don't think about it, just don't, don't, don't, don't

"And whom, may I ask, are you who so gallantly strides up to one she believes capable of...slicing someone's head off?" he asked.

[Ragdoll]

She was sort-of surprised by the pleasant voice that came from his mouth when he addressed her. Ragdoll had never labeled herself 'good' at reading people, but maybe this time she had been wrong? A few patrons for the club had looked at the man warily, but maybe that was just because they sensed what she felt. A feeling crouching in the mans features that seemed... not quite right. Then again, whom in this place is right? She herself surely didnt posses all the screws, afterall she had chosen to sit here.

Ragdoll abruptly noted her lapse in the conversation--it was certainly not to polite to be so silent and just stare. She doubted that he admired her skeptical gaze, and she chided herself internally not to give away such hints that she might be trying to read him. Most people rather preferred to stay unknown. "A death wish?" she repeated with a small chuckle. "Everyone has to die sometime, don't treat it like it's so special" she finished with another muffled giggle as she raised her hand to her chin. How had she landed here? Enjoying death as a joke... This certainly wouldn't help her distract him long enough to grab his wallet. Internally, she reminded herself to be less odd--but just when she was about to ask herself "who exactly isnt odd here?"; he spoke up again.

Erik seemed like an ill-fitting name for him. He seemed like the type to have a distinguished or unique name like Franz or Amiens or... But who was she to criticize his parent's poor taste? Besides, she was getting off topic again--he was saying something else. She shot him a raised eyebrow as she smirked at his question "Well, Erik, you do have a sword you know. I don't know about you, but i think we all know what those are for" she said with another giggle as she caught the bartender's eye.

So, she was low on money, but it was enough for a pint(or two...)--and she wanted one now. Besides, Erik didn't show the usual signs of buying her a drink that other men did. She had to be carefull though, spend too much on liqour and she wouldnt be able to pay her house bill... As for the potency, it was the least thing she worried about. She knew she could hold her booze and still be careful enough to swipe his wallet when the opportunity showed.

"And as for my name, most people call me Ragdoll" she said. Yes, she may be a thief that stole information from both sides, but nothing had taken off yet; nothing big. Her name should be invisible and unconcerning to him; As a thief should be.

[Albel]

Albel felt his lips tug into an amused smile at that one. Ah yes, this place really did attract the most interesting of people. The callous way in which she spoke of dying...it was so difficult to find people with such a mindset. Not one who was bitter about the truth that all must face, but one who understood that it was inevitable. "Hmm I like that," he said. "Very wise." He would not live a long life, he knew that already, but in his mind he was special. Because he had a very important role, yes, yes he did and it was one that he got to keep all to himself for the most part. There was something invigorating about keeping such a secret from the world, of being that mysterious person who seemed so sweet, so innocent with maybe a touch of a sinister aura that was just visible under the surface of his charade.

He wasn't uncomfortable with the silence that fell between them. What she thought of him didn't really matter anyway. Considering the fact that 'Erik' was just a figment of his own imagination she might as well not have been talking to anyone anyway because the man she thought she sat down with wasn't actually there. Situations like this delighted Albel, he loved to look back on them and just chuckle quietly to himself, playing out the scene over and over. Who was Erik going to be tonight? A rogue warrior? One loyal to the Queen or the King? There were just endless possibilities.

"Oh this?" he asked, running almost delicate fingers over the hilt of his sword. "I wouldn't worry about this...this is for protection and protection alone," he said smoothly. It wasn't out of the question considering where they were. After all, who knew what sort of dangers lurked in a place like this? It was perfectly logical for one to be armed. His smile darkened very slightly. "Though I will say, I pity any one who attempts to misbehave towards me, I have a low tolerance for fools."

"Ragdoll," he repeated the name as if he were tasting a rare delicacy. Unique people fascinated him. Albel was used to the everyday person or his victims, two drastic personalities as his victims he only saw as cowards begging and pleading not to die and the every day person normally spoke of the same thing as their neighbor. Politics that he was well versed in or trivial matters that he never really listened to, just nodded here and there to put on a show of paying attention. "That sounds like a name with an interesting story behind it," he said, draining his cup and placing it down. The bartender made to refill it, but he held up a hand, halting him.

Even if he had known the true nature of Ragdoll and what her true intentions were he would not have allowed his cup to be refilled. His world revolved around sobriety, the great thundering of his mind and the wonders of his job were his intoxication, he needed no help from alcohol. Instead he rested his elbow on the bar, propping his chin up with his hand, he fixed his deep red eyes on Ragdoll and smiled quite warmly at her.

"Well then, here we are two strangers sitting in a dangerous pub with naught but our names known to the other," he sighed. "I wonder, are you one who shares interesting stories about yourself or am I doomed to sit here with you, puzzling away the mystery that surrounds you while maintaining a casual conversation?"

[Ragdoll]

Wise was not something Ragdoll really considered herself, and at times she truly felt her head was full of nothing but rags. The only advantage or claim she supposed she had to being remotely smart was her street-tongue, and while that could get her far in riddles and nonsense talking, it was usually hard to extract something substantial. With his compliment, she smiled a bit into her drink as she took another sip.

And as for protection and protection alone, she was a bit skeptical--the way he looked at it and ran his fingers over the sword, she sincerely doubted that it was just a 'in case of' plan. "Hm, it is quite an impressive piece though; good balance, well crafted. You have to be proud of it, hmm?" She said, admiring his choice in a good weapon, now that she was seeing it closer she was a bit impressed. This guy wasn't the same league as the common scum that stalked around the place, that was for sure. He knew his swords at least. She let her smile drop a bit as his next statement.

misbehave? She certainly wasn't a fool, but if stealing something of his classified as misbehaving... And if she was caught and it came to a fight, she wasn't entirely sure she could take him. Judging him was admittedly hard and if he had any expertise with that sword of his, her flexibility wouldn't count for much.

He repeated her name and she looked back at him, snapping herself out of her thoughts. What he said after made her chuckle a bit "Interesting? I depends on what you take as interesting i suppose" she said with a shrug, sipping her drink again. She noticed him refuse another drink and cursed in her head; so one option down. Now her only hope for a bit of cash was to just go for it, and that too required waiting. For the right moment...

He spoke again, the longest sentence yet and she smirked to herself. She was beginning to like this conversation, it was certainly more entertaining than her previous encounters. That was really why she was aiming her career more towards information stealing than her old art of robbing sleazy men, they very seldom had interesting things to say and they were always thinking one thing. She took another sip of her drink as she contemplated just how bad talking about her past, and who she was, could really be.

In the end, she had to admit her curiosity to just how this conversation would pan out got the better of her. So she sat down her drink and rested an arm on the bar, smiling her smirking smile in return "So, if your convinced that I'm so interesting" Ragdoll began, chuckling a little about the 'interesting' "What can I say to entertain you, exactly?" She asked, waiting curiously for his answer.

[Albel]

Albel smiled a bit and nodded. "Yes, I am very proud of it indeed," he replied. So very, very proud. His sword had served him well. How many lives had it claimed, Albel had actually lost count over the years. Focus, Albel...don't let your fantasies catch you up he thought in an almost chastising manner, but it really wouldn't do to just sit there reminiscing about the past right now, that might lead to her asking him what he was thinking about and he knew that if he was really caught up he'd end up telling her exactly what was on his mind. No, no that just wouldn't do, that wouldn't do at all.

"I find many things interesting," he encouraged her. Which was true in a sense. The days were full of monotony and listening to stories was always a good way to interrupt the dull nights where he wasn't on assignment for something. Ah yes, the tales of those around him, so long as it didn't consist of anything mundane and normal he would be able to listen quite contently to someone's story. Besides, it was always good to know a little history behind a present companion, it let him know whether he was going to have to worry about her later.

He lofted a brow. "Your name," he said simply. "Where did you come by it? I am curious whether your parents had a love of the unique or if you perhaps gave it to yourself after time." He could not imagine someone holding their baby girl up for the first time and deciding to call her 'ragdoll' it was insulting really. However, a name like that taken on by her, well he was sure that there had to be a reason behind that in the very least. And what, just what, made her choose that name. Albel knew that names were very powerful things, they gave him insight into another person's soul.

[Ragdoll]

He seemed to get a faraway look for a moment after his statement of his sword, but he snapped out of it so quickly that Ragdoll was left to question weather or not it had really been there... She was, at this point, still in the middle of deciding just weather or not she should finish what she started. One minute, he didn't seem like such a challenge if he spotted her taking his wallet--but the next it was quite the opposite. This one, she was really playing by ear.

He spoke up again, and she took a sip as she contemplated what to say--and where to start. Thankfully, that was when he asked her about her name. Ah, that was possibly the easiest to explain. "Well, Ragdoll isn't my real name" she said, with a small chuckle as she put one hand on her elbow. "I just have a... talent" she finished as she jerked her elbow and her entire arm into an impossible angle. For a normal person, it would surely have broken something. "triple-jointed" she explained, effortlessly moving her arm back in place as she looked at him curiously for a reaction.

[Albel]

Albel smiled as she admitted that Ragdoll wasn't her real name. Well there went the possibility of heartless parents who viewed her only as such. Not to presume that her life was all rainbows and butterflies, no, a woman her age wouldn't be here in such a place if she lived on the brighter side of the fence. He had a feeling that she was very much more than she seemed, that beneath the surface of that pale complexion and almost innocent looking face was something greater and that it was intrigued him. Albel was good at reading people, he had to be, he did not think she was part of the damn Queen's army, though he would never be sure, but at the same time there was real cunning in those eyes. It was why he was continuing this conversation and actually listening to her, to find out if that cunning was in play at this very moment.

Albel's eyes widened as her arm suddenly twisted. He'd never seen such a thing before. He'd seen his fair share of broken bones but this was completely different. "Ohhh," he whispered, almost sighed, examining the twisted angles that made up her arm. He grinned as she fluidly twisted it back to its proper place. "Well that is certainly very...unique," he mused. "I imagine that it must be very useful....yes, yes you called it a talent and something is only a talent if you put it to good use. In any case it's a very fitting nickname that you've chosen...having the body like a doll, oh I do wonder what sort of things you could accomplish with that."

All those places you could fit, hmmm yes, if Albel had the means of somehow taking such a gift for himself he would in a heartbeat. He'd kill her right here, claim she was up to no good, and extricate her talent for his own purposes. But alas, such a thing was impossible and Albel did not like to dwell outside of reality. However, he imagined the uses that it could prove. The world's deadliest spy, she could go where no other person could go, cramped up in some small place where no one would even deem possible for a human being to go. "I do wonder if such a talent, as you say, has been sought by those with power. After all this is a tumultuous time, you must try very hard not to let the....wrong people see that."

[Ragdoll]

[Don't sweat it]
There was really nothing much of a reaction aside from the typical wide eyes, well, at least there wasn't anything along the lines of mockery. Now if he'd done something as rude at that, she would have no doubt slugged him--no matter how strong he could very well be.

She listened to him go on, a slight pang of...nerves maybe? Perhaps it wasn't altogether a good idea to let that slip, oh if he suspected her a burglar or took a lucky guess to her job as of late... well, it could be potentially harmful. If he could put it together--as his words clearly said he could--he might start watching his wallet... but even so, she would notice it. Then she would simply drop the pickpocketing idea altogether, at least she would get an interesting conversation out of it.

She dragged herself out of her own thoughts when he spoke up again. It made her smile to herself a bit, having to use her practiced process of picking words out carefully. "Well," she said after a moment "I suppose it depends on whom one considers as the wrong people--sometimes the right people are the ones with the power" she said. "I'd say what's really dangerous is deciding who's who" she added as an afterthought.