[Stocke's hand hovers over the pair of vials. hesitating. Something about this job doesn't sit right with him.]
[It's not the eyes themselves. He knows their origin from the Hunter net, and, well - he can't say it's not dirty. But it's long since happened, and he's stooped to lower than stealing dirty goods. It's just - he has this feeling. Something he can't define...]
[Stocke grits his teeth silently. Bad feelings will have to wait; he needs this, needs the break it'll give him, and the longer Sonja's missing the more the chances grow that she'll stay that way. He knows the numbers. And he's only got a minute or two before the guards he's knocked out on the way are discovered by their lack of reports in - he has to move now.]
[He snags the top of the container, heaves it up - lighter than it looks - and tucks it under his arm, then spins back to the vault's entrance. The building's pitch-black (also his work) but for the eyes and the square of moonlight from a window, several rooms away; Stocke heads toward it at a near-silent run.]
[He's cut off right before the window. Kurapika had planned this interception as best as he could. Researching the owner of these eyes, any connections, the jobs relating to them, the persons who had taken jobs— Kurapika was the only one standing here because he felt he was all that was needed.
Hands in the pockets of his suit, he stands pretty casually, all things considered. In the moonlight, he's all too serious, lifting his chin as he sizes up Stocke.]
I'm going to have to ask you to hand over those eyes.
[Stocke skidded to a halt as soon as he saw the figure - now he takes a cautious step back, eyes narrowed. Another guard, one he missed while staking the place out? Someone entirely unrelated?]
[This wasn't supposed to happen. But then again, when do things go to plan? Stocke scans over Kurapika, thinking fast - take this one out, or find a way to dodge around him and take another exit...]
[It's going to be messy either way. Might as well resign himself to it.]
[He adjusts his grip on the vials. His other hand dangles next to his leg, relaxed - but it's not hard to guess it's next to a concealed weapon.]
[Well, it's never that easy. He reaches up with the hand showing his chains to brush some of his hair out of the way with a sigh.]
I'd prefer to avoid a fight if possible. Let me go over a few things that I've gathered about you, but first, know that I am not part of the family you're stealing from.
[Kurapika will do whatever it takes to get these eyes back, but he's also vowed to kill no one in the process. Violence isn't his taste, even if he'll resort to whatever he needs to in order to get them, so he'll put every ounce of effort that he can into retrieving these eyes.]
You're the one who's been using the deceased hunter's card to move more freely. I thought it was strange that someone would be searching for the scarlet eyes when he'd shown no interest in them before. It might have been missed by everyone here, but I knew someone he favored had to be moving under the ranks.
I knew you'd see tonight as the chance it is to take them, and I knew I'd be able to meet you here, by this very window.
[Stocke curses in his head, softly but very emphatically. He'd thought he was leaving too visible a trail, but there's only so much he can do while moving fast. Especially without Heiss's support, with a dead hunter's friends gunning for him.]
[That someone could figure out he'd be here, at this time, isn't as much of a shock once they're past the first step. Now's the time a disruption among the guards would take the longest to notice; this window's the closest, simplest way out. Stocke's not one to overcomplicate when there's a simple answer.]
[As Kurapika speaks, Stocke starts to circle him, trying to slip past into the other half of the corridor. He watches Kurapika carefully, especially the hand with the chains - if there's any move to intercept, Stocke will halt in place.]
...and? [Curt.] What interest do you have in what I'm doing?
I'll be honest with you, so I hope you can do the same.
[Slowly, he's stepping to keep himself in front of Stocke and block the way. It's a hesitant dance, with him not wanting to give chase right now. The dowsing chain drops from his hand as he holds it out, a small ball at the end, but he doesn't swing it or use it to attack.]
Those eyes belong to my people. I want to put them to rest. So let me ask you, in turn. What do you want with those eyes? We can arrange something beneficial to the both of us.
stocke: once said 'your jokes need to be funnier' to a king
[There's an odd flicker in Stocke's own eyes, a reaction to what Kurapika's saying. Then his expression shuts down and stays steadily neutral.]
[Stocke takes careful steps to adjust his route, a slow and wary dance; he goes still only when the hunter's chain swings down.] ...surprised you haven't found out that much as well. [Flat.]
[It seems like he's not going to add anything for at least a second or two. It goes against Stocke's instincts to be so open with his aims. But finally:] They're a bribe.
[His free hand curls into a fist at his side, but aside from that, Kurapika doesn't do anything with the chain. It stays still, telling him this is the truth, and so he glances between it and Stocke.
He'd heard some things here and there, but he does like to verify.]
A bribe to what end? I have plenty of connections. Whatever you're looking to gain, we can discuss it.
[Stocke doesn't twitch. Again, he seems to be weighing whether he wants to say anything to Kurapika - but it's not like the hunter won't be able to dig it out later.]
[He's still reluctant. That he needs what he's planning to buy makes him look weak.]
A reprieve.
[...Kurapika's chain might quiver here. What Stocke's saying isn't a lie, but it's not the whole truth.]
[The chain does quiver. A small movement like this isn't a full lie; he's learned this much. Stocke might notice the movement as well. It's a clue to what he's doing here, but Kurapika doesn't seem to care.]
You're holding back. I like to think I'm not being so aggressive that you have to hide anything from me.
[Stocke notices the twitch - that, with Kurapika's words, makes him come to a snap decision.]
No. But you haven't given me a reason to trust you either.
[In the end, it comes down to this: Stocke has a plan that he's reasonably confident in already, and he has no way of knowing Kurapika can deliver - even assuming Kurapika will want to, that this isn't a trick. On top of that he's decided the hunter's Nen lets him detect lies, nothing more combat-oriented about it. He makes a break for it.]
[Maybe he'll come to regret it. But for now: if Stocke sees Kurapika moving to intercept, the hunter will be met with a dagger.]
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risingstones2016-07-31 10:17 pm
no subject
[Stocke's hand hovers over the pair of vials. hesitating. Something about this job doesn't sit right with him.]
[It's not the eyes themselves. He knows their origin from the Hunter net, and, well - he can't say it's not dirty. But it's long since happened, and he's stooped to lower than stealing dirty goods. It's just - he has this feeling. Something he can't define...]
[Stocke grits his teeth silently. Bad feelings will have to wait; he needs this, needs the break it'll give him, and the longer Sonja's missing the more the chances grow that she'll stay that way. He knows the numbers. And he's only got a minute or two before the guards he's knocked out on the way are discovered by their lack of reports in - he has to move now.]
[He snags the top of the container, heaves it up - lighter than it looks - and tucks it under his arm, then spins back to the vault's entrance. The building's pitch-black (also his work) but for the eyes and the square of moonlight from a window, several rooms away; Stocke heads toward it at a near-silent run.]
[He's not expecting to be intercepted.]
no subject
Hands in the pockets of his suit, he stands pretty casually, all things considered. In the moonlight, he's all too serious, lifting his chin as he sizes up Stocke.]
I'm going to have to ask you to hand over those eyes.
no subject
[This wasn't supposed to happen. But then again, when do things go to plan? Stocke scans over Kurapika, thinking fast - take this one out, or find a way to dodge around him and take another exit...]
[It's going to be messy either way. Might as well resign himself to it.]
[He adjusts his grip on the vials. His other hand dangles next to his leg, relaxed - but it's not hard to guess it's next to a concealed weapon.]
No.
[Well, uh. That's blunt.]
kurapika does not shut up when he's srs: the tag
I'd prefer to avoid a fight if possible. Let me go over a few things that I've gathered about you, but first, know that I am not part of the family you're stealing from.
[Kurapika will do whatever it takes to get these eyes back, but he's also vowed to kill no one in the process. Violence isn't his taste, even if he'll resort to whatever he needs to in order to get them, so he'll put every ounce of effort that he can into retrieving these eyes.]
You're the one who's been using the deceased hunter's card to move more freely. I thought it was strange that someone would be searching for the scarlet eyes when he'd shown no interest in them before. It might have been missed by everyone here, but I knew someone he favored had to be moving under the ranks.
I knew you'd see tonight as the chance it is to take them, and I knew I'd be able to meet you here, by this very window.
stocke listening to this speech all ლ(¬_¬ლ)
[That someone could figure out he'd be here, at this time, isn't as much of a shock once they're past the first step. Now's the time a disruption among the guards would take the longest to notice; this window's the closest, simplest way out. Stocke's not one to overcomplicate when there's a simple answer.]
[As Kurapika speaks, Stocke starts to circle him, trying to slip past into the other half of the corridor. He watches Kurapika carefully, especially the hand with the chains - if there's any move to intercept, Stocke will halt in place.]
...and? [Curt.] What interest do you have in what I'm doing?
stocke don't be rude!!
[Slowly, he's stepping to keep himself in front of Stocke and block the way. It's a hesitant dance, with him not wanting to give chase right now. The dowsing chain drops from his hand as he holds it out, a small ball at the end, but he doesn't swing it or use it to attack.]
Those eyes belong to my people. I want to put them to rest. So let me ask you, in turn. What do you want with those eyes? We can arrange something beneficial to the both of us.
stocke: once said 'your jokes need to be funnier' to a king
[Stocke takes careful steps to adjust his route, a slow and wary dance; he goes still only when the hunter's chain swings down.] ...surprised you haven't found out that much as well. [Flat.]
[It seems like he's not going to add anything for at least a second or two. It goes against Stocke's instincts to be so open with his aims. But finally:] They're a bribe.
omfg stocke please
He'd heard some things here and there, but he does like to verify.]
A bribe to what end? I have plenty of connections. Whatever you're looking to gain, we can discuss it.
no subject
[He's still reluctant. That he needs what he's planning to buy makes him look weak.]
A reprieve.
[...Kurapika's chain might quiver here. What Stocke's saying isn't a lie, but it's not the whole truth.]
no subject
You're holding back. I like to think I'm not being so aggressive that you have to hide anything from me.
no subject
No. But you haven't given me a reason to trust you either.
[In the end, it comes down to this: Stocke has a plan that he's reasonably confident in already, and he has no way of knowing Kurapika can deliver - even assuming Kurapika will want to, that this isn't a trick. On top of that he's decided the hunter's Nen lets him detect lies, nothing more combat-oriented about it. He makes a break for it.]
[Maybe he'll come to regret it. But for now: if Stocke sees Kurapika moving to intercept, the hunter will be met with a dagger.]