nysalogs | Closed ♪ You think you know about me

[As a demon who really only needed an hour of sleep per night, Mephisto spent plenty of time wandering the halls of his workplace. Though he rarely did so as himself -- it was far easier to get around while taking on the form of a small bug, or even a mouse. But he didn't explore too far... at least, not yet. He still needs to learn more of this world's magic first before he does anything to risk losing such a prime location for his research.]

[But when he sees an unfamiliar face walking down a restricted hallway... well, he can't simply ignore him, right? But for as much as it was certainly a face he's never seen around the institute proper, there was something oddly familiar about it...]

[He debates what to do for only a few moments, whether to let the man escape and follow him outside, or confront him here... or he could mess with him. Actually, that sounds like more fun.]

[Which basically means that as Duo starts to walk towards a door, he's going to find the hallway has suddenly stretched, putting him nearly 20 feet away from the door just as he was about to pull it open! ...or at least, that's what it will seem like. In reality, he's just been quickly teleported backwards in the same moment he blinked, with only a little puff of smoke around him to hint that something must have happened.]

[ Wandering around the Institute by himself was probably how he should've done it in the first place. No money on the line, no nothing like that, just flat out figuring shit out without relying on anyone or anything else. Sure, now he could bring Heero, but he was just freshly back off of the ship and all, he didn't want to push it. He started this mess by himself so it only seemed right to finish it that way too.

He's pretty much found what he'd set as a goal for the night, calmly walking toward the door to leave. The cooler he plays it, the better, after all. No one will know anything is wrong if you don't hint to anyone you're not meant to be somewhere, etc etc. That's the first thing he'd ever learned with stealing something - running just made it obvious that you were up to something that you shouldn't be - made you easier to track as well.

So there he is, hands tucked in his pockets and the rest, just sort of meandering his way out -

And then back at the end of the hallway again. Duo pauses, sort of takes a look around, noticing the wafting smoke at his feet. Magic was rife in this place, so it doesn't seem to unlikely, but it's still annoying as shit. He reaches back to put his hand on his gun, just in case, beginning forward (again) with a bit more caution. ]

[He won't get as far as he did last time. After only a few steps, he's teleported backwards again -- only this time, the lights on either side of the hallway suddenly flicker off, leaving only one light left to illuminate the ground where Duo stands.]

[And from the darkness comes footsteps, followed by the vague outline of a person.]

[...Mephisto is nothing if not needlessly dramatic.]

Well, well-- I can't say I've ever seen your face around here before.

Okay, you've got to be shitting me. [ It's frustration more than anything else, annoyance at his circumstance and being pushed back again. At least until there's footsteps, the outline of a person. Duo's hand moves back to the pistol at his waistband, his ever faithful side arm, looking at whoever is coming toward him through his bangs, under the brim of his hat. His shoulders are still relaxed, standing just so, watching as if this is the most normal thing ever. ]

Really? And is this what you normally do to people you don't recognize?

Pretty crummy, y'know.

[Something about that voice sounds familiar... But be can't quite place it yet. Someone he's heard over the network perhaps? No, it feels more nostalgic than that.]

Oh no, not at all. But you see, this hallway just so happens to be restricted... it's a rather strange place for one to simply wander into unaware.

[He steps closer, still mostly shrouded in darkness, but now close enough that the light shines off of his eyes. They're practically glowing, bright green and oddly cat-like.]

Just what were you doing down here, I wonder?

Oh, really? [ He's doing his best to sound genuine even though the sarcastic, evil little part of him wants to just say 'no shit, sherlock' and move along. He doesn't want to cause a hell of a kerfuffle if he doesn't have to, after all. If he does.. well, it isn't his first rodeo anyways.

The hand on his gun comes up to scratch at the base of his braid, a nervous gesture for most, but is Duo checking what he's tucked away up there weaponry and escape tools wise in case this goes south, a little laugh and half smirk crossing his face as he does it. ]

Ah, you know.. wandered through the wrong door I guess... [ Yeah, that side window he jimmied to get here. And then every door subsequent. ]

Now I think we both know that's a lie. Just how long do think I've been following you?

[...not actually that long, but it's not like he couldn't have been watching without being seen. Even without his spooky time/space powers, he was still an expert on creepily stalking people.]

The city's been on high alert since that "attack" from Wyver. [Or at least, that's how all the natives see the arrival of the new refugees.] How am I to know you aren't a spy?

I’d bet not too long. [ He wasn’t sure that he would’ve stood around while he was rifling through paperwork just to see what he could find a bit earlier or anything of the sort. Must be hard to be patrolling in a place that has so many people’s interest, really. But then again with magic powers how the hell hard could it be? At any rate Duo doesn’t seem bothered to be caught in the middle of a bit of a white lie, still standing there as if this is the most casual thing in the world. ]

Oh, you mean the new refugees? Takes a lot to shoot down a ship of innocent people. [ trust him he speaks from experience. ]

I guess you don’t man, I don’t know what to tell ya. [ throws his hands up, oh so casual and flippant. ]

[Well now-- if he needed any confirmation that this guy was a refugee, there it was. They certainly liked sticking their noses into this world's business, didn't they?]

[Ah, but that made things more complicated. Should he keep messing with him, or take the opportunity to turn it around? It might be useful to try and secure an ally who's willing to investigate the Institute in Mephisto's place--]

[Then again, it's kinda bothering him that this guy isn't bothered?? For him to be this confident, he's either stupid, exceptionally powerful, or severely underestimating Mephisto. And he kind of wants to see which it is.]

[And so he laughs -- practically cackles really, as he brings a hand up to his chin.]

Oh? Is that really the answer you wish to settle on? After all--

[With his hands in the air, Duo will suddenly feel a slight breeze around his forearms... because his sleeves have suddenly been cut by some unseen force, causing them to awkwardly bunch down around his elbows. They're fine cuts, as if done by a very precise blade, but he won't feel any hint of what happened on his arms. The only "tell" would have been a slight narrowing of Mephisto's eyes as he cut through the fabric with his mind -- a fairly simply spell, but it certainly had it's uses.]

--I haven't decided whether or not I'm going to take you into custody alive.

[ He’s mostly stupid. Somewhat over confident because he’s been a terrorist most of his young life, too. Sneaking in to buildings and taking intel was a lot easier when it was just people with cameras instead of weird ass magic powers though. The art of the poker face is something Duo has near on mastered, though. Played this game while being actually physically punched - which, by the way, doesn’t weird him out as much as his sleeves suddenly disappearing. He swallows but doesn’t show anything outwardly, at least not past the tune of being annoyed about his shirt.

Masks, after all, are Duo’s forte.

Still, the former Gundam pilot just makes a noise of slight irritation, reaching up to run his hand through his bangs, lifting the brim of his hat -

Which may reveal why the voice is so familiar. ]

Well listen, make your decision because you’re burning the time I have left to grab dinner before I sleep.

[God, why is this guy so obnox-- WHAT THE SHIT IS THAT DUO FUCKING MAXWELL??]

[He knew video games were real. He had a sneaking suspicion anime was real. But here he is, a main character, in the flesh. Now that he sees his face, the voice matches so perfectly that there's no mistaking it.]

[(Would it be weird to ask for his autograph? Yeah, that'd be weird. Better not.)]

[But none of this shows on his face. No, if anything, his Cheshire-like grin only grows as he snickers some more. It's entirely possible it might be some bizarre extended coincidence, but he doubts it.]

[So why not take things one step further and see if he can't rattle him a little.]

Fufu... as expected of the God of Death. I suppose you wouldn't fear the reaper if you met him face to face, would you-- Mr. Maxwell.

[ If only Duo knew of his inner monologue here he'd be shitting his pants so fast. For the moment, though, he just wants to know whether he's going to have to pull his gun or not, one hand still poised behind him, shifting slightly as if he's just impatient and wants to move. Which is true, but he's also pretty convinced he might have to shoot his way out of here -

Which is kind of annoying.

There's an obvious moment of hesitation as he calls him by name - twice, but of course Duo doesn't stumble for long : ]

If you're suggesting I'm looking in a mirror the eye color is all wrong.

Simwe Institute

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1/2 INTERNAL ONLY....

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Altar of Volkra

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