ғᴏᴜʀ ✥ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ/ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ;

[auditor]

[ claudia seems to have a habit, and this habit is posting to the network during the morning. even when it's an accident, apparently! today, though, the post does not begin purposefully; the video records... nothing, only a quiet view of claudia auditore's suite. clean but rich in colors and details, much like the room one would expect of an italian renaissance noble. if more updated, of course. (someone is, clearly, not wearing her bracelet.) but the feed remains quiet for only so long. — a rose-ringed parakeet (recently, feral. has someone lost one of their blackmarket goods?) squawks. once, twice, thrice in alarm as a hair brush nearly collides with its small body. ]

E che cazzo, chiudi il becco!

[ the bird, instead, flies across the screen's corner to settle between books and a plant, all sitting on a high shelf. the window is open, but something about the suite must be awfully nice for it to tolerate thrown objects; it hasn't left for several days, now. some on the fourth floor residents of freya's welcome hall may have noticed. ]

When I finish with you...! Caterina will have bird for dinner. And she asks: "what is this lovely meal," I can tell her it's exotic chicken! Do you hear me! [ claudia is... wet. wearing a towel, of course. but wet. and she has something akin to a mane sticking to her neck and back: soft but long and thick. no wonder she wears her hair up, huh! that's one of those distinctive things people notice when someone is reaching for the recording device, you know. that, and the incredible volume of claudia's voice. ] Oh, because if I hear you one more time, I swear — uch! I'll use those pretty feathers to make new earrings, and —

[ oops, did someone realize she is being recorded in the middle of a tirade against a bird? the surprise passes, though, and claudia's face scrunches before the emotion releases in a heavy sigh. the feed cuts, suddenly. ]

Comments

[auditor]

[ a point. ]

And if they — your staff, my girls. If they work for both of us?

[apostatises]

Then I have no issue with it. They're my employees and little else.

[He admits it coolly, and though it sounds cold, he really doesn't feel any particular fondness for them over any other resident, just a gratefulness that they would help run his bar. Anything beyond that was something of a special case, which is why he spares her a glance as he continues]

Though, clearly you have someone in mind. Who?

[auditor]

[ shrugs. ]

Mako is learning. Riku attracts attention, but... That is not always bad. And Johan... Johan is brilliant.

[apostatises]

[The only one that really comes as a surprise is Riku, for the reasons she cited herself. Based on the interactions he had seen in his bar (and taking Claudia to the VIP room before it was finished, jeez!!), his immediate guess was naturally Johan, though he's somewhat satisfied to see a measure of her shrewdness in seeing the potential in Mako. Johan was really the obvious choice, but also the one that would result in her downfall. Of that he was certain.]

Your attention would be best given to the first two. [But Lucifer is still Lucifer, so that's the closest thing to a warning that he'll give.But they've arrived at their apparent destination, since he stops at a household that looks like any other, rapping on the door.]

[auditor]

[ claudia nods, slight, her only acknowledgement of the warning. as much as she sees johan's potential, her ability to trust him is... lacking. and that makes for a poor business venture. ultimately, johan is best considered too high risk. it's a good reminder. ]

What about Gai?

[apostatises]

He would be a fair investment. He's a good barman and very charismatic. [a beat, since he considers whether he should impart his opinion further, because Lucifer's judge of character was a very valuable thing in his world, because he was very rarely wrong. But of course, the value is somewhat lessened here.] If I were to guess, he held a position of substantial leadership in his own world. Or if he didn't, he should have.

[And the door opens, showing an elderly woman who clearly has nearly all of her personality back. She immediately gives a warm smile to both of them, though her eyebrows do raise at the new face. She introduces herself as Marilyn, but other than that, it's down to business. It doesn't take long, since clearly she and Lucifer have some sort of system already set up, and Lucifer pockets a fair little profit from the bird.

But with that done, he starts to lead the way again! Though he doesn't specify to where, he assumes that Claudia will follow as long as she's able and he continues to speak with her.] That should certainly help with the repairs. I would have almost preferred a more biblical flood for the sake of starting anew than replacing all of my carpet and making sure my hardwood floors don't rot.

[auditor]

[ claudia is polite when addressed, but otherwise, she only observes the exchange. notes merchandise, too. and then, she is following lucifer again. ]

Personally, I would prefer not living in a poor impression of Venezia at all.

[apostatises]

Nor I. I visited a few times during Carnevale, rather ironically, and though it was an impressive monument of a city, the water was ultimately a poor decision.

[He chuckles] It took quite a while, but it's sunk quite a lot between your time and my own. I believe the popular theory is that the city will sink completely within the next century or two, but that's assuming that it lasts even that long.

[auditor]

Is it that bad, then?

[apostatises]

The state of the world as a whole or Venice? Not that it changes the answer, because yes, at least in my version of Creation.

[auditor]

Do...

[ shakes her head. ]

No, nevermind.

[ discussing the end of the world? nah, let's not. ]

[apostatises]

A wiser choice. Though it does, at the very least, give some credibility to their claims that failing here will end all the worlds.

[He shrugs] Though it seems to be ending quite slowly. We have enough time to clean up after floods and hug each other, with no war in sight.

[auditor]

[ it's so easy to forget she knows the world, her world, is threatened. minvera spoke to ezio, and desmond, and ezio spoke to her. she knows. she knows temples are scattered to prevent it. or help humanity after, at least. but it is so far into the future that claudia hardly thinks of it. is this what minvera had spoken of? is her era so threatened when desmond arrived from her future? ]

For now.

[apostatises]

For now.

[But he repeats it with a tone that says that he's not sure if it ever will... Though also in Lucifer's measure of time, it may not come until all of the current Travelers are long dead.]

But also for now, the peace should be enjoyed as best as we can. Paranoia tends to ruin that.

[auditor]

[ lucifer. claudia is an assassin. ]

I will heed some of your advice.

[ "but not that. don't become patronizing." ]

[apostatises]

[Lucifer just shrugs. It happens sometimes, sorry Claudia...]

I understand. [a beat, as he just changes the subject] I am curious, however. How has it been for you to establish your new business? I found my own to have its troubles, yet Lux doesn't operate in the same way as your... [He looks at her] Does it have a name?

[auditor]

Not yet. That is the hardest part, names. [ she sort of shakes her head in frustration. she has considered taking a page from another madame's book, but the italian, and the blatant theme of flowers, would alert her brother of her deeds for the order. that, she can't deal with yet. ] But it was fine until the flood. And now...

[ a helpless gesture. it's been pulling teeth. she knows at any moment she will meet delay because the businesses and go-betweens for utgardian merchants she works with are having trouble recovering. she hates it. ]

[apostatises]

I have to say that I don't envy you for having to deal with a flood during your startup. Lux has been open long enough that the damages were easily covered.

[Though it's put him back a bit on paying off the loan, but whatever. That's his business, and also not really a big deal.]

If I may ask, where have you been having difficulty? Perhaps I can provide assistance. [Because with such a partnership in the works, it's really to both of their advantages to do so]

[auditor]

Perhaps you can... The biggest problem is my contacts with the Utgardians.

[ go-betweens cost more, but it's worth it when claudia can't meet the merchants, herself. such business transactions are above most of the locals, and even when they aren't, they are busy working. they don't stop just because of a promise; claudia wouldn't ask them to, either. ]

[apostatises]

[He considers it in silence, but he quickly decides that giving her a direct contact with a supplier wouldn't be any problem. While Lucifer couldn't take credit for building the black market, he certainly had played a big part by spending time with those faceless locals until they were people in their own right. It was a win-win situation.]

Have you met any of the direct suppliers from Utgard? I happen to know one of them that would be willing to help you without any issue, and another who would be more difficult, but whatever you would need would be delivered more quickly.

[auditor]

[ claudia consider. then, nods in a particular direction. ]

Mind talking about the rest of this over breakfast?