10123/Negotiation Consultation

Negotiation Consultation
Date of Scene:	14 February 2022
Location:	Jubilee and Noriko's Apt - College House
Synopsis:	Noriko reaches out to Remy to bury her hatchet and get his thoughts on the plan for getting Jubilation back, unmarried...to Malefactor. They are quickly interrupted by a visit from Severina, one of Malefactor's vampire brides, and Nori gets a demonstration of Remy's vampire diplomacy skillz as the vampire opens a back channel with the mortals for her own desires. Nori is told to search 'the book' for a bargain.
Cast of Characters:	Noriko Ashida, Remy LeBeau, Jubilation Lee

---

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko has had time to think about how poorly she handled Remy being Remy.  Does that mean she thinks it was a mistake?  Possibly.  Does that mean she wants to apologize?  Well, it doesn't matter, because Noriko ended up getting a note to Remy using her cheat of delivering it drive-by paper airplane style.

'Hey, sorry for being an asshole.  I could use your help going over some stuff and I have stolen liquor with your name on it.  Drop by my apartment (#2) in the college housing.  I'll be around. -Nori'

The speedster has set out a liquor bottle on the coffee table that has a 1/3rd left as if it could somehow lure Remy by its presence.  It's unlabeled for some reason, perhaps to hide its origin as something stolen from a teacher's stash once upon a time.  But because she doesn't drink, Nori's forgotten a glass to go along with it.

Also on the coffee table is an ancient thick tome, VAMPYRE, sitting in a sack away from casually prying eyes that might like to use the tree branch outside their window.  There are also three betrothal IOUs and stacks of library books as if a fort of knowledge has risen around her.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Will eventually realizes that using a chatroom code to send messages is not how you send them on here, but until then...

Remy receives the note. He hadn't given the interaction a second thought... which isn't a slight against Noriko, so much as he's just use to people not really appreciating the Remy flavor. He would need about twenty-five more arms if he was going to count the number of people who disliked him, hated him, or wanted him dead.

Which isn't to say he doesn't remember.

Just that he was over it as soon as he left the dining room...

When he receives the letter, through cheat moves, he gives it a read and shrugs. Headed towards the college dorms shortly after to knock on th edoor with the back of his knuckles. He's wearing his usual long brown trench, white t-shirt, and sweat pants over sneakers. And there's a black Saints ballcap worn backwards on his shaggy hair. "Ey, kid, it Remy."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko opens the door after the first knock is completed, as if on cue.  "Come on in.  I'm setup over there," she says as she points over the couch to the living area.  "-Oh crap I forgot a glass."  The door wobbles, open, when she abandons him to come in on his own to go do that.

Nori herself is just wearing a pair of blue sweats and a plain lavender tshirt.  Nothing fancy.  "Are you hungry?"  She mentally tries to figure out other 'nice' things she's supposed to do like someone reverse engineering their memories.  Spotty.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy has none of his usually cocky grin when the door opens, standing on the otherside with his hands in his pockets staring through the portal with his red-black eyes. He nods and steps through, looking around at the decorations, but ultimately over at the table where Nori says she's set herself up. "Nes pa." flicking his hand at the suggestion of food. "I just eat. Me'n Jeepers went to get hotdogs." Which he almost certainly should not be eating, but dads get to be the bad influence.

It's in the handbook.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Okay good because I might have burned through everything already," Noriko answers with the fridge open, light spilling out over her.  Her stomach growls in response.  "Damn.  I'm jealous now."

Okay, enough stalling.  Noriko draws a quick breath and slow-blur-walks over, comfortably fast enough for someone to track.  Standing by the window, she leans back against the wall, awkwardly doing nothing with those bulky gauntlets.  "Look, about...what I said.  I was just pissed because it felt like you were introducing extra shit for your own amusement that was trivial and I should have just been listening to what you were offering instead of being all hung up," on his attitude or what he said?  Noriko purses her lips a little, her furrowed brow demonstrating a displeasure with her own phrasing.  "That's it...oh, and  of course you know I was lying about Jubes being adopted by Rogue.  I just doubled down because I was pissed.  No reason Rogue needs to know that I told you though.  I was trying to make sure the vampires didn't try to exploit any loopholes.  I don't know what fake joke stuff said by words can be detected and they might take it seriously.  I mean they thought someone's name was Jubes & Nori forevah or something so...I could use some help checking the logics of my idea.  And helping me with wardrobe if there are expectations.  And whatever you can think of really.  Only thing is, no one is allowed to look at the book in the sack but me.  It's not my rule, but I can check stuff for us, which is probably faster anyways.  Call it a violation of cultural privacy or whatever...all that's needed to know is Jubes will have my head and anyone else's who violates the rule."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
That's a whole lot of words Noriko just said in a very short period of time. Remy stands at the table tracking the speedster walking at a brisk run (to most people) around her dorm... Hands in his pockets, looking both casual and disinterested. It's his default when he's not hamming up his charm. He's a thief after all.... It doesn't mean he's uninterested.

"I was jokin'." He tells her flatly, "I thought we all knew that, now I know we didn't." he flicks his hands out and stretches the sides of his jacket open in a shrug. "Of course I want to help get Jubes back. I thought everybody know I don't intend to make them 'pay me' to do it... If that the reputation Ol Remy got in the Mansion, maybe it time I leave." Because he's gone out of his way to prove he's no longer that guy.

But there was an apology.

"I will not joke about dis no more. It important to you. I understand." And that, as they say, is that.

"Vampire aint smart just because they Vampire, nes pa? They just people... or dey was people. And people is stupid, as a general rule. You add to dis they also old? Psssh..." His hand comes out of his coat to wave as if someone farted and it's offended his senses.

"Da ting wit dem is... ya gotta tink like dey do, oi? They all about the letter of a things rather than da intention."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "You could simply ask," comes a voice from outside, muffled by the glass of the window. It slowly lifts, moved by no hand. The apartment might be well above the ground, but that isn't enough to keep out certain would-be visitors. A blonde woman in flowing black silks floats lazily in the air outside the window. "It has been a few decades since I've had correspondence with one, but are all mortals this rude?" The voice, deliberate and unfeeling, belongs to Severina the Necromancer, one of the two remaining brides of The Malefactor of Prox Manna-hata.

    "I had expected you might be interested in parley, but perhaps it was foolish of me to try to predict the whims and fancies of reprobates and murderers." Severina's assessment is delivered as stone cold fact, as though any hope of her seeing it any other way is an impossibility.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"Yeah that's kinda what pissed me off.  I thought you were seriously joking when, even though Rogue is a fake mom, I really do care if she approves and was seriously asking her.  You know, pissing all over the moment?  But how could you know right?"  Wow, Noriko practicing maturity.  It's disturbing...ly suspicious.  The one thing that makes it ring authentic is the girl doesn't say she was /wrong/.

"You can joke.  I've eaten since then.  My period is over," Noriko says brashly and quickly, just letting him wonder if she's being wry or serious, or seriously wry or...but Nori stops her permutations realizing Remy probably won't get that far, which limits her amusement with herself.  "I mean I don't know how old everyone we'll come into contact will be.  There might be more babies around who know what's up, so," she shrugs.

"So you thin-" but Noriko stops as soon as she hears another voice, head whipping in the direction and then after a pause, the single book sack just...disappears (or is stashed in Rahne's kitchen cabinet through the new shortcut Nori made with her body).

Noriko's head tilts in response to Severina from a different spot in the room.  "I am not a murderer.  The one who took your sister-bride's life is not one of us and only recently become our guest.  She is a baby in the mind...I have no way of contacting you to put up the idea of parlay sooo, how rude of me for not having the access to do it."  Her eyes flick toward Remy and back.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy nods to what Noriko is saying, "I was joking, but I was doing so to lighten the mood. I'm very happy for you two. I don't actually want to give Jubilee away... I barely know her." Nor does he believe that Rogue is Jubes mom anymore. That was during his concussion. He's better now.

His hand returns to his pocket as the voice rise up to them from beyond the window. Gaze following it to the blonde woman hovering up to join them in the apartment for Parley. "In fairness, most Parley are announced ahead of time so the various parties can pretend dat dey actually want to talk." He's very casual as he speaks, picking up a picture of Noriko and Jubilee. Definitely innocent, just him walking around like he's totally natural about all this. "Don't pretend if we come to you by surprise you may be saying what lovely people we are?" The picture is set back down, hand sliding into the pocket of his coat. He turns to face the blonde and puts on his very best grin.

Red black eyes flicking down to take in her whole figure. He's allowed to look, okay?! Then steps forward to hold his hand out to the vampire, "Remy LeBeau. Forgive my young, mon ami, oi? She a teenager. In twenty twenty two. Dey are... different than you remember these days."

After he's given his introduction, "So, how can we help you, chere?"

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "You could learn a thing from this one," Severina replies with a subtle smile, offering her hand with the palm facing down, as though she's expecting it to be kissed.

    "You have ignored my conspiracy of ravens," Severina adds with virtually no amusement in her tone. "And yet you joke with me in this very moment." She lazily lids her eyes, doing everything she can to communicate just how bored of this she is. She even shrugs one shoulder, swaying slightly in the wind -- the floating person's way of indicating they could just as well leave.

    "It is not in my interests to hear your excuses for the dog you cannot keep leashed," Severina replies coldly, even looking away for a moment to properly convey her engagement. "I am here, perhaps, to discuss what you intend to do about the fate of your paramour... for as long as it interests me, which is... not much longer, I think."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Unsure of which parth Severina is pleased with that comes out of the Cajun's mouth, and kind of unsure of all the particulars that came out of the Cajun's mouth herself (that accent is hard for non-native speakers), Noriko just arches an eyebrow after letting Remy deliver things more suavely, she assumes.

"Sorry.  Ravens?  I'm not joking.  I really would have like, gotten someone to text or send a message somehow if I knew how."  Noriko thinks, eyes roaming the ceiling.  "Wait...I mean there were ravens like...waiting and harassing me on my way to the mansion.  Oh, how do I talk to them?"  Noriko is taken away by her curiosity for a moment, the enthusiasm bubbling into her voice.

"Oh.  I'm going to challenge the Duke's right to wed her by presenting my betrothal claim.  And if that fails," Noriko glances to Remy a moment.  "I plan on challenging him to a duel, the proper objection."  These are not first-one-to-5-points-wins.  And barring that, WHOLESALE FORCE, but Noriko doesn't say anything about that.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy actually does bring the woman's knuckles up, but unless she's wearing gloves, he doesn't actually kiss her knuckles. Just brushes them close enough to his lips to show he would. He knows his way around courtly etiquette, ya see. Then they're onto setting terms almost instantly and he can appreciate that too. With his hand returned to the pocket of his coat, he watches the Vampiress go through her ... well there aren't any demands or suggestions in what she says, but...

"No, see..." He removes a hand and wiggles a finger at her, shaking his head. ... But then Noriko is just turning over their cards to show the vampire what hand they're holding. He blinks his eyes closed... and turns on his heels to face the young mutant with a look on his face that screams, you're fucking killing me here....

Then turns back to the vampire, clearing his throat to draw her attention. "As ya can see, she's very emotional. Da problem is, dey are unuse to dealin' wit yer kind here at the school..." Which isn't another excuse, "And her being a teenager is instrumental in these negotiations. She's coming from a place of hormones.. where you are coming from a place of ancient wisdom an', if I'm guessin correctly... bordom." His hand is once again in his pocket.

"I understand dat our responses have been very violent to dis point. It occurred to me when we returned home dey other night.. But we take da safety of our students very seriously. And very few of us are aware of the whole situation. So, please, dat we can avoid dat unfortunate situation coming up again... what led to Jubilee being taken?"

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "The idea that your kind's first response to the unknown is violence is quite telling, don't you think?" Severina lectures. She pulls an object from one of the folds in her silks. Sunglasses. Ray Bans. Very familiar ones. She slips them over her eyes and smiles sweetly at Noriko and Remy. "The one you call 'Jubilee' has not been taken. She has been betrothed to Suthtehk The Malefactor, Protector of the Lenapehoking Dutchy -- Prox Manna-hata in the common era. They will be married and bonded if it should come to pass."

    Noriko is given an amused smile, one that might be given to a toddler that was tricked into talking about how they like their coffee or the current state of the economy. "You will challenge The Malefactor's right?" she repeats, brows rising above the top edge of her sunglasses. "He is the lord of all you see, hear, taste, and touch, child. His 'right' is what he says it is."

    "Of course..." Severina continues, the corner of her mouth curling upward. "...Perhaps it doesn't need to be so. These violent delights have violent ends, after all..."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"These are not hormones.  It is fate," Noriko protests like a teenager who can't realize shutting her trap would make her seem less like a teenager. "And a legitimate contract.  I've been taking care of myself for years...our kind is usually greeted with violence," Noriko says more somberly.  "That was not what most of us wanted."

"One does not speak for all, and one or a few's actions do not speak for all, as I'm sure you can relate to in your culture," Noriko says.  "Well you can't count on it.  Not like birds or things."  Eloquence abounds.

"What if his 'right' is challenged?"  It's obvious to any clever creature that Noriko has just crossed out the idea of Malefactor respecting her betrothal and instead having to resort to a much more serious kind of duel.  "Or it were someone else's right?"  She's starting to understand (or rather stumble through) this way of speaking in code that the others are so adept at.

Again though, Noriko looks to Remy to handle how-does-one-ask-a-vampire-about-betrayal-of-one's-kind-without-offending-them.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy furrows his brow, "We've had a lot of history wit people coming to our safe places and causing far more harm than good.. It shouldn't be dat way, and it shouldn't be our first response to resort to violence, but..." He flicks his hand. "We defend ourselves so often, it has become second nature to do so... first nature really." See, Mutants and Vampires have a lot in common.

Severina should meet Magneto.

He glances over towards Noriko and.. actually nods. She's saying much the same as him, then he's regarding the vampiress. "Now, don't come here playing Umbridge... We were teleported away to a dank dungeon with locked doors wit a smell like pigs had been slaughtered there. If yer intentions were altruistic, I really think you need consult your public relations department." He was one of the first to throw a punch that night, but he hadn't done so until he saw the duplicates of them in those cages.

"And those people you have all contained down dere looking like us?" He sucks his teeth. "I know dat it is a regular thought to think the actions others take is wrong, while those you take yourself are above reproach, but dat sets a tempo and we responded... understandably ... violently."

His hand returns to his pocket, he remains very calm and diplomatic, but doesn't balk at telling someone when they're being a hypocrite either.

"Da point is, we are not allowing Jubilee to be wed to dis Malefactor. The series of events dat have led up to dis being what dey are, we have to find another conclussion. HOPEFULLY an amicable one."

Jubilation Lee has posed:
    "I am not interested in your excuses. My sister is gone," Severina snaps at Remy. "And I will not be lectured about courtesy and manners from those who have been in this world for but a moment. You think it is yours and yet you merely borrow it for, what, not even a century? Ha."

    "We took the measures we needed to take to ensure the safety of our guests," Severina replies with her usual lack of enthusiasm, like getting through the words took some effort. "It was your actions that made it necessary. Do not forget that."

    "I cannot act against the Malefactor," Severina explains. "But perhaps we can make a bargain that is mutually beneficial. Consult the book, Miss Ashida. It has all you need to know. I'll be in touch. Watch for my ravens." No text. No e-mail. Another damn conspiracy of ravens. Whatever moonlight was illuminating Severina starts to fade... until she's just no longer there at all.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"It sounds like we both could benefit from-"  but Severina is gone.  "But how do I use-send a few, I might accidentally kill some!" Noriko calls out from the window to the night air.  Then she pulls back in and shuts it.  "Do you think she's actually gone or just eavesdropping on us now?"

"And of course she's making me jump through hoops, having to pick what /I/ think will be the most favorable and worthy bargain.  Gah."  Noriko knows this places her at a disadvantage, or could.  She looks over to Remy, but doesn't say a word about anything important yet, looking to follow his lead.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy lifts a finger to Noriko before answering her question to him. He waits, in silence, for a few more minutes before turning to look at the teenaged mutant with a hefty sigh, "See? Even century old creatures of darkness can be assholes, not just teenagers." It's a joke. Lighten the mood after that heated discussion between them and the undead messanger.

After she finishes, Remy inclines his head, "What book she talking about?" He asks finally, raising a brow. He still has no idea how all of this came to pass. Nobody tells him anything.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
The minutes of silence are about enough to drive Noriko mad, so she goes about retrieving THE BOOK from next door in a flash and then respectfully waits about 15 seconds before off to do something other little tidying chore, to pass the time.  She's right there to enjoy his joke with a little bit of a smirk.

"They've had longer to perfect it."

Noriko seems more business like in demeanor, as if she's in some problem solving mode.  "This one."  The brown bag rustles and Noriko holds up a thick ancient tome with the word 'VAMPYR' on the front.  "It's what Jubes took from them.  I think it's kind of sacred or something...but it has a lot of stuff about their culture in it."  And other things, but those aren't pertinent and Noriko promised a need-to-know knowledge dissemination basis in her guidance from Jubilation.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy takes the book held out to him and turns it over to inspect the binding and cover. "So she took a book dat says Vampyr on it." Honestly, if it was from a book store, he wouldn't even think twice... just some novelty knock off, but this thing had volume. It had tooling in the ancient cover... he traced it with the end of one of his fingers.. His red and black eyes flick up to look at Nori. Forehead furrowed with one perfectly plucked brow (HE SPENDS A LOT OF TIME CULTIVATING HIS DEVIL MAY CARE APPEARANCE OKAY) perks. "Where she get dis?" He knows someone whose dodging the whole story... this is La Diable Blanc she's talking to here... subturfuge doesn't work on him.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Noriko actually takes the book back, perhaps not intending to just hand it over.  "It's not personal...Yeah, I know.  Subtle right?"  She does, however, sidle up to him so she can show him the cover and binding and she doesn't thwart his finger tracing.

"From them.  I don't know.  She didn't even tell me about it.  She was embarrassed." Noriko adds the last part to obviously clarify against the idea that Jubes is some devious sort.  "I found out like everyone else when they came strolling up on the grounds.  So if she told me, I don't remember.  But I assume it has something to do with somewhere on these people's radar....why?"

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy doesn't seem upset by having the book pulled out of reach. He probably wouldn't let anyone take it from him either. His hands go back into his pocket, head canting down and tilting so he can look over the leather when Noriko slides up to him closer where he can get a better look. "It has vampyr on it." He repeats, as if this answers why it might be on these peoples radar. "Well, she say da answer in dis book, ses pa? Maybe ya read it... ya are old enough to read right?"

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"I've read it already, but the book has shown that it can edit itself, so I should probably look again now that she told me to," Nori shrugs, just accepting the possibility of this foreign logic working with magic whatever.

"Yeah, I wonder if all the books they care about are just named the same thing," Noriko says with a roll of her eyes as communication wires are crossed.  "I just meant that the place she found it in is either their library or they rigged some sacred site with their alarms."

"I guess I should just keep reading this thing till I find the magic page."  Nori faux yawns.  "Maybe if I feed it some blood it will be a good book and do what I ask," she jests and then 'tickles' the spine in homage to Harry Potter.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
That last part has him raising a brow in a way that is less about curiosity. "It might." He says matter of factly. He rocks heel to toe and looks around with a turn of his off colored eyes. "It could also show only what is important for da situation... and ya might be able to write biblical law into it. Magic is a fickle mistress that doesn't follow any particular set of rules besides whatever it feels like at da time.." He finger quotes on that.

"For now.. read da book." Motioning to it with his hand extending. "I'm going to make some calls to a few, mon ami... I come back in a few hours see what he say." He's already pulling a phone from his pocket. Not a smart phone, though he does have one. This is an old school flip phone that went out of style back in 2008 when the Iphone came out.

"It be okay, oi? We get her back. I know who I work against now... she shouldn't have come met us. Dat was a mistake."

Noriko Ashida has posed:
"That's what I thought...or at least, that backs up what I've seen, doing whatever it feels like."  Noriko nods and looks down at the book in her hands.  "Alright.  I'll probably order some food," she stretches, getting ready for a long crampy reading blitz.

"Oh, the Headmistress wants minimal bloodshed.  So I still want to try and work this out in a way that uses their own rules against them.  It's the only thing they will respect as a whole that doesn't blowback," and Noriko doesn't feel it's necessary to fill in the gaps on that one.  "I expect..."  Noriko can't remember anyone really reassuring her, if they have, and the moment gives her a flash of moisture in her eyes, threatening to flood in rapid time (that's one reflex that's hard to master), but it dissipates in a blink, "Thanks."

Remy LeBeau has posed:
Remy stares at Noriko getting a little misty eyed... and the little block of ice he'd erect around his eyes softens. He blows out a sigh and reaches out to rub her shoulder, "Okay, okay... Dis will be fine." He's not deadpan, but he's not the one people go to for emotional support in troubling times. He puts on his best charming grin, "Don't make it weird." his free hand comes up, turns over slowly showing there's nothing in it. Then flicks and he's holding a tissue out to her. "Up close magic." He murmurs. Emotional support ala Remy LeBeau.

Noriko Ashida has posed:
Remy gets an unexpected mild static shock.  "Sorry, didn't mean to-"  Don't make it weird Nori.

"You say don't make it weird and then you go and do that?"  Noriko laughs.  Remy is successful, in a way, and by the lingering grin on the speedster's face as well as the fact that she takes the tissue, even though she doesn't need it anymore, the laughter he provides is appreciated...in Nori's way.

"Alright, go on.  I'll order extra if your timing is right, you might get some food.   Don't make it weird."  Then she shoo-motions him toward the door with a blur of her gauntlet.

Remy LeBeau has posed:
"Do as I say, not as I do. Adults are hypocrites." Remy points at Noriko as he steps back away. Grinning in that typical Remy way as he lays down the sage advice, "Jus' like Teenagers are assholes." He winks at her and turns on his heels. Dialing his thumb over the analog buttons of his phone as he nears the door.

When the door closes behind him, he's already talking into the receiver, "Ay Mon ami! Been alo- what? Hold on, stop yellin'... dat was two years ago, how can you possibly still be mad about dat..." Welcome to the world of La Diable Blanc.