[Flashback]Dark rooms and darker secrets(Rykanis)

[Indigo]

Timestamp: 60th of Winter, 511 AV. Evening Location: The Glass Gull Purpose: Job thread Private wine tastings at the Glass Gull were nothing new and the man walked over to a table in the darkest corner of the already dimly lit room. Many came here for romance. This private session was anything but sweet in nature. The heavily cloaked man ordered a sample plate of cheese and a bottle of rich red port wine with two glasses while waiting for the meeting. Facts needed to be organized and they were counting on him to make sure everything was 'managed' as quietly and efficiently as possible. That meant planning things in advance so that no surprises came up to interfere with ongoing bureaucracy. He'd payed handsomely to assure the highest discretion of the staff for a fully private bell, no questions asked. He paid in advance when the enormous sampler arrived, weighed down with delectable morsels. The waiter expertly opened the bottle, showing the label to the man for approval. With a quiet grunt he gave permission to pour and the waitstaff left the room for the allotted chime of guaranteed privacy.

[Rykanis Dakshata]

The note slipped under his door had been vague. Just vague enough to get his interest, and to get him excited that there was a secret to be had... So he followed the directions of the note, to the letter so to say, and showed up... The Glass Gull... He had heard of it, of it being a nice place, but had never gone himself. it was well known for wine tastings... He did wonder though what it was about... Obviously the way someone met said a lot about themselves... So when he showed up to see a dark room, with next to no one there... He knew what kind of person wanted to talk to him... Someone who knew nothing of stealth, or subterfuge, in his opinion anyways, but had the coin to pay for it... Of course everyone thought that the best place to hide something was away from others, in a dark private room... But that was almost asking for someone to spy on you... If someone asked him to hide a blade of grass, he would not hide it down a deep hole, in a vault, with armed guards... He would hide it in a field of grass, looking exactly the same... Or in this case, in a loud tavern, where no one could overhear you through the noise, and would forget you in the masses of faces... But regardless, the meeting place told him a lot about the person... As he came and was directed in, he walked along to a dark ill lit table, to the only person in the room... A man cloaked with his face hidden, sitting with some cheese and wine... Rykanis simply sat down, picked up and ate a morsel of cheese, and slowly chewed it... He looked up at the other person, and smiled, not that it could be seen. "You wanted to see me? Oh mysterious stranger..."

[Indigo]

"Call me Coti. I'll be your contact and we'll need to lay down some ground rules first. I pay half up front for expenses, the other half when you've acquired the appropriate intel my client is looking for." With a gloved hand, he slid a small parchment across the table with code letters and corresponding names. The cloaked contact gave him exactly one chime to read it and then he put it over a candle on the table to burn quickly. "You have proven enough skill to interest my client, however, as an Akalak, we have seen no evidence of your other half. This might be because you are unstable or repressing your brother. If this is so, we cannot hire you. My client has shown interest in hiring you because you are Akalak. This means while one brother is good at one thing, the other brother will of course have skills of similar value." He paused and took a long appreciative sip of the strong rich port wine and savored it slowly. After a few chimes of snacking from the cheeses, Coti continued. "We could just hire you, but we wouldn't be sure if your other brother wouldn't somehow blab or screw up things. My client insists on me interviewing the manifestation of your other brother as well, not just you. Please keep in mind that you will receive twice the pay, for there are two souls in each Akalak body...."

[Rykanis Dakshata]

Rykanis simply listened once the man started talking, taking things in. He silently shifted over to his other side, who was better at such passive listening things, and at recalling facts... Though it was good to know that was what it was about... They wanted to hire him to spy on someone... How interesting... As he slid the parchment over, he read it over three times, and spoke it in his mind another three times, until he had it memorized... He did find it interesting that no one knew of himself, the side currently in control... He supposed it made sense, since they never spoke unless alone, and they shared a name, not even calling each other by something different. Or maybe they each had a name, and were hiding it from the other? That could also be the case... It was also ironic that they thought he might be unstable, when in fact it was simply that the two of them were so in synch, they had no trouble shifting control when a task they did not like arose. Though double pay would not be bad... Speaking a a voice which was more flat and emotionless, and clearly different form the first one that had jokingly spoke, his other side spoke. "I am not repressed. We simply have different things that we are good at, and like doing, and so transition well. We have a good working arrangement in shifting, and in respecting the other when they feel they would do better in the situation." He took a sip of wine, sloshing it around in his mouth before slowly swallowing, before continuing on, also taking a small bite of cheese. "As you said, we each have different skills... He is more... Direct... And more tending to being aggressive or emotional... I prefer taking the more safe, measured, and logical approach." "However we both would never let slip a secret, or do something to endanger us learning new ones... I would say the reason that you never learned of me, is that we work together so well..." "Though I must ask, are you wanting us to find proof in these people's favor, or against them? Or are we just collecting the neutral truth as it really is? I ask as it will affect both what we collect, and how..."

[Indigo]

Coti was uncertain with the young man's answer, though he gave no outside indication of it. He covertly watch Rykanis' reactions to how he'd phrased the questions and looked to form immediate situational judgements. It was half good and half bad. His boss needed someone who could make swift assessments like that, but they needed to be the correct ones to be of any use. The obvious and blatant meeting place was a good test of how the intended informant would react. He seemed bright enough to roll with whatever was thrown his way and that was certainly to his credit. The smug emotion he allowed on his face after an assumption wasn't ideal, but spies were rare in Riverfall and this one showed early promise of potential. The boy seemed a peculiar combination of trusting and scornful, as if he truly believed Coti's words and elaborate setting. 'New, he's just youthful and new at this, he will learn and we don't have time to look for another.' He thought for a chime. "Kiddo, don't be so defensive over a critique--this isn't an interview for a waiter at a place like this so check the attitude, huh? Just preparing you for some of what you'll need to do. Get into that ragtag animal farm on the outskirts of the city. Either employment or lessons or looking to breed or buy/train some such animal. Any excuse will do. One of the few things we do know of K is that when talking to Akalak, she is careful to address both souls so you've failed that preview answer with me. You'll want to work on that before approaching her." The intel man tried not to show his irritation but the fact that he'd been provoked to speak so much said far more than he'd meant to. It boded well that Rykanis could get people to talk and he knew that fact was the most important. He didn't have to like someone to work with him or her. Coti took a an appreciative sip of the wine and continued onto further business. "Spring will arrive all too soon and as such, every Nakivak in Riverfall wants to kick up her heels and forget her duties to those who saved her life. K is amassing a fair amount of money with her business--enough to hire on more people lately. She should be concentrating on making babies, not working so hard that she's neglecting her Talvas. Her Talvas should be her primary concern as a breeding female. My boss has all of us checking suspicious Nakivaks so any possible financial or lover related indiscretions are your imperative intel."

[Rykanis Dakshata]

This side of Rykanis looked at the man, a bit unsure as to what he had meant... Him being defensive? He did not think he was being defensive... He was simply stating a fact, and explaining things to him. He had simply answered the mans questions... So how was that being defensive... The two of them spoke for a moment, there thoughts intermingling... Well he thought he knew what he meant, that it was more his tone and the way he had spoken that made it seem defensive... Though he did not understand why... They also spoke of his words... His off side was a bit more suspicious... Was he being totally honest? Was this the truth, the things he said, or was there more to it... Or were they even outright lies... His main side felt he should go along with it, they might learn more later, nothing to lose really if they stopped now... "I was not attempting to seem defensive, and I apologize if I came across that way... However, it seems to me like in this case... The shorter out meeting is, the better... I should think you would agree... And me coming out, and explaining the situation, to why I was not usually visible... seemed the most expedient way to deal with it... I do know how to act with discretion, when the situation demands it. I am very patient. But this situation seemed that the opposite would be better." He simply spoke, his voice still neutral, his face passive, not like his main side, whose face often changed and showed his myriad of emotions... He however did not understand most of those emotions... Pain and fear... Those he understood... And they were what drove him... "As for the 'animal farm' as you call it... I should think lessons might be best... I would not surprise anyone that I asked for training, say in horse riding... As I have no skill in it. I would not even have to act like I did not know what I was doing, since I would not." He thought about it... He also had a kelvic, which would probably fit in quite well there... Maybe he could get her to do a bit of info searching also... Find out a bit of info discretely... "As for addressing us both... Well we usually speak through the first side you met... He seems a bit better at such situations than I... Perhaps it would be better if we continue with him speaking... Since you have seen me." His last bit of speech did tell Rykanis a decent bit... So, they were suspicious of K? They thought she was shirking her duties? And specifically wanted him to check for financial or lover related indiscretions... Well, at least he finally knew what they wanted from him, and which side he was looking for... Though he also could decide what to say later... If he was still suspicious and did not believe they would hold up there end of the deal... He could simply not tell them what he had found... "Well... It is good to know what exactly I am looking for..."

[Indigo]

Rykanis had a good intuition though this man had fooled a good many people before now. Maybe he was working for the politicians, but then again maybe he wasn't. If one took into account that 'Coti' seemed to be quite showy and loose with his money they would figure out he was only playing a part. His fake name appeared like an ostentatious display of the blatantly initialed council of ten informant. The mysterious figure moved a hand under the table, at the same time, catching Rykanis' eye to the small money pouch he held. It was heavy with gold and later on, he might notice it felt somewhat strange to the touch. Only a competent Reimancer would pick up the distinctive bits of res clinging to the coins, and it would take more than that level to figure out why. Coti handed over the money pouch to him and said, "Fifty now up front to cover expenses, fifty when the job is done. I'll let you know when you're done." He nodded in a brief, businesslike fashion and abruptly stood up. In a swift motion, he downed the last of his wine and left the table with a brisk stride. OOC: Please add 50 gm to your CS Ledger.