FRANZISKA VON KARMA ♦ [004]
Who: Franziska and YOU!
Where: A random cafe in the Government District
Style: First
Status: Open Open Open ( Read more... )
Where: A random cafe in the Government District
Style: First
Status: Open Open Open ( Read more... )
With an expected stealth no doubt acquired from the Inspector's various tips and advice on the subject, Naomi Hunter slips silently into the empty seat across from Javert, her body language and expression strangely casual considering she is interrupting the man's meal without an invitation. With a practiced smile, the woman's small hands fold on the table surface between them, one leg crossing over the other. Yep, she isn't planning on moving from this spot for quite some time. Get comfortable, Inspector. You are now being forced to socialize with the doctor.
It's been less than twenty-four hours since she's last seen the man, but the charming look she gives him seems to tell otherwise. Is she actually happy to see him? Or is this part of the act? Well, one thing should be obvious: Naomi's thoroughly amused with the situation, like usual.]
Good afternoon, Inspector.
[Her dark eyes flicker down to the newspaper and the lunch set out in front of him. If he's staring (and he always is), the man should notice the slightest of twitches at the corner of her mouth. She hadn't thought he was serious when he mentioned the cafe's special for Wednesday the evening before, but there he was, Chief Inspector Javert sitting with a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup.
And he'd had a problem with the juice boxes?]
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Abruptly, Javert barks out an uncharacteristic chuckle.]
You learn quick! With the slippers and dress to match! I didn't think you would make a care of it. What for? You don't have a need for it. [He picks up his bottle of water, tilting it toward Naomi in an odd, terse salute, and drinks. His gaze over his bottle grows thoughtful and sharp.]
Just to catch me like this? Or have you made it a pastime to eavesdrop better?
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Her grin is wonderfully satisfied.] I do learn quickly, don't I? I wouldn't ask for your expert advice on the subject just to disregard and forget it.
[She watches the salute while chuckling, her eyes dropping down to his food again. It really is amusing to see him like this considering how much of the population is terrified of the Inspector.] Perhaps I did it just to keep you on your toes. Looks like you weren't prepared for me. Don't let it happen again or who knows what I may do.
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[Javert places the bottle back on the table, casting a brief, wary glance to Franziska across the street. So long as she doesn't catch him long enough to assign him menial tasks, he is satisfied. He gladly folds up his unread newspaper with a grimace, tossing it aside for him to discard in the trash later.] Wretched headlines! [Javert never did enjoy reading, regardless of the subject matter. Ironically, the front of the paper declares, CASTLE ROOF SHINGLE DISCOVERED NEAR SINK HOLE.] What the devil does it matter? We won't be seeing it in prime condition again, that is certain.
[Inspector Javert dips half of his toasted cheese sandwich in his tomato bisque and manages to greedily bite off nearly half of his half in one gulp. His full, undistracted attention is now fixed on Naomi. A question lingers in his fierce gaze, but it is the one question he chooses not to ask: What are you doing here? After all, why ask such a question when he could already assume the answer? Instead, he states indifferently,]
You let Fenton off early. I had expected you to come later.
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[As the intimdating man glances across the street at his unsuspecting superior, the doctor's gaze follows, inspecting the much smaller woman with no real interest. Franziska, though in a high position of power due to her profession and family ties, isn't someone Naomi cares to become close to. So far, she has been nothing but an annoyance during her stay, even if the teenager had become relatively quiet as of late. Perhaps she's finally realized how futile it was to even attempt to dirty the Inspector's squeaky clean reputation. Though stern and unrelenting, the population trusted Javert and his men almost completely. The prosecutor would get next to no one on her side against him.
His grumpy declaration draws her attention back to him and the paper he's suddenly tossed away. She catches sight of the headline before it is out of view, the smallest of chills tingling down her spine. It's been two weeks since the castle was so horrifyingly devoured into the sand by the unknown black substance, leaving only an obscure statue as a reminder of what had occurred there. Despite her fears, the nightmare monsters had not resurfaced into Somarium. In fact, things appeared to be completely back to normal for the inhabitants of both the city and village, the only strangeness coming from the gossip and various whispers about an upcoming festival that the doctor didn't care to hear.
With the new arrival to the table, a shy girl approaches the pair nervously, glancing first to the man before quietly asking Naomi for her order. The woman asks for only a black coffee before the girl skitters off, Naomi's eyes already back on Javert.]
You work him hard enough as it is. A few hours off would do the boy good. You may not enjoy socializing with the general population, but he does. [She's all smiles once again, thoughts of the castle and the monsters all gone from her mind. While she had been afraid, it's pointless to worry when nothing is actually going wrong.] My schedule book was empty and I thought you may enjoy my company. It's so sad to see a man eating out alone.
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And where on earth did you come from? America? It was not uncommon in Paris for working men to eat alone. [A thoughtful pause. Javert rolls his eyes skywards.] Well. Unless you were a young, strapping student with three coarse grisettes on his arm. The taverns were full of them. Though it was... informative to mix myself with the sort and observe.
[It isn't untrue. But then, the most honest reason for Javert to neglect socializing with most people is his place in society. The Inspector is a perpetual outsider. He isn't one to have many friends. And what did friends speak about to one another over a lunch party? Women. Troubles with women. Drinking. None of which Javert habitually engages in. His work associates, then, were nothing more than work associates. There were perhaps a small handful that knew him much better than the rest, but for the most part, he was their odd, unpleasant, unsettling, but exceptionally dedicated police officer.
Javert snatches up his spoon, sizing up Naomi's head with his eyes. In a perfectly even tone, he says,]
You couldn't wear my battered old thing. Even if you tried! Your head is two sizes too small for this. You are better off with a smaller thing. A womanly little cap with a feather or three.
[A stony blink.]
Or would you prefer a spinster's bonnet?
[The Inspector begins to tackle the rest of that soup.]
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Yes, I spent most of my life in America, but I doubt that it has anything to do with the location or change of culture. Most likely it's the difference in time. Dining out alone is considered to be rather pathetic. People look down on you for it nowadays. Not that you care what they think. [She can't help but smirk at the thought of the man sitting in the shadowy corner of a tavern in silence, staring out intently over the crowd.] I'm sure those young, strapping students and their lovely dates just thoroughly enjoyed your company. Did you even attempt to socialize with them or just stick to staring?
[A soft kick is aimed at his shin under the table at the mention of 'spinster'. She's well aware it's only a joke, but quips about her age aren't something she finds very funny. Luckily, there isn't any real strength put into the blow and her soft shoes only help to pad it. Naomi isn't aiming to hurt him. Not today.] I'd much rather go cap-less, thank you.
[The quiet, young waitress returns in a hurry, Naomi's coffee nearly spilling before it's placed on the table in front of her.]
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I do have the basic social skills to carry on a conversation, Mam'selle. Does that surprise you? But when I am playing the spy there are more important things on my mind than striking up a jolly joke with my neighbor. Like not falling to a too-early execution.-- Ah! Wait!
[Javert calls his quiet waitress back in an imperious tone to the table just as she is about to scurry away like the tiny gray dormouse she is. He points to Naomi with the wide end of his spoon. He continues in his commanding voice,]
Fetch this woman an egg salad sandwich. Not too much mayonnaise.
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Yes, I realize that you possess the most fundamental of social skills when you need to, but how often do you really get any use out of them? [A slight pause before she adds in,] Outside of work, that is. Interrogating men who like to climb stupidly around on roofs is another thing entirely.
[Once the plain drink is placed in front of her, Naomi picks up the mug without a second glance to the waitress. At least not until Javert so abruptly spouts out a ridiculous order for her. Unfortunately, the waitress disappears far too quickly before Naomi can correct the man. She shoots him a very mild glare.
Egg salad sandwich. Is this a new joke between them now?]
Very funny.
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[After all, he didn't ask the waitress the cancel the order. The waitress had scurried away to fill it, and in several minutes she will return with Naomi's lunch. He picks up the remaining half of his sandwich.]
It is just as you've done to me for weeks. You didn't really think you were getting away with only that coffee! Ah, no! Egg salad just seems appropriate somehow. A reciprocation of your... generous efforts.
[Though the Inspector hardly sounds as if he chose to do it out of the goodness of his small wooden heart.]
But what does it matter how often I strike up a meaningless conversation? I oil my hinges when I care to.
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If this was only the first offer of it`s kind, Naomi wouldn`t pay it any attention, but the fact of the matter is that it isn`t. There was the other meal he allowed her to join in after the Princess` party and then the lone ticket to the police banquet that he purchased for her for no real reason. As well as she has been able to read him after a certain situation took place, these events only confuse the woman further. Perhaps she is reading too far into things. The man seems quite content with no friends, but even he must feel a tad bit lonely sometimes. If he wants to turn to the doctor for companionship, she won`t complain.
Not when she values this as one of the few friendships she herself has.
Not wanting to appear too taken back by a silly sandwich, the slender woman relaxes in her seat across from him, giving the man an alluringly beautiful smile.] I didn`t realized you cared, but I`m fine. I had a late breakfast. [Lie.]
[As the waitress drops off the sandwich without a single word, Naomi ignores the meal in favor of furthering the conversation. Her tone turns casual.] That man you were hunting after, the one in white, I heard he uses hawks for communication. Sending trained hawks to deliever messages between those he trusts. Different, isn`t it? No one would think to follow birds to their hideout.
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[Naomi did come to the café uninvited, yes. But she was not completely unexpected. Javert already flippantly implied early in the conversation that he absolutely expected her, just not as soon as she had chosen to come. Naomi may read into his actions as much as she would like, then, but he won't be giving her any straight answers about it.
When the scientist mentions the 'man in white,' Javert abruptly puts his sandwich down. His expression grows grave and cold, the likes of which he hadn't flashed all conversation long.
It is during this icy exchange that the waitress returns with Naomi's 'order.' Sensing the situation to be delicate, she nervously sets the egg salad sandwich in front of Naomi and stammers her offer for anything else before scurrying off again. Javert is staring intently at the good doctor the entire while.
At least he has the decency not to ask her any searing questions until the waitress is already gone.]
What did you do?
[Notice the question, Naomi: It isn't "How do you know this?" or even, "Who told you about this?" It is What did you do?]
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As his expression darkens, Naomi watches the skittish waitress in amusement, her alarm at the man's sudden cold mood very evident. As the girl rushes off, the woman doesn't even try to hold back her chuckle at Javert's deadly serious question. What kind of answer was he expecting out of her? That she had seduced the assassin just for that tiny piece of information? That she had walked straight into danger just for him and his work? How ridiculous.
She leans forward in her seat, voice lowering to a suggestive whisper.] Do you really want to know?
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You are foolish.
[The Inspector scoops up his sandwich again and takes a monstrous tear out of it. Chew Chew. Chew. He murmurs through his teeth,]
Well, your stupidity belongs to you. You have seen their profession! I won't pay for more damage to your things.
[He regards her ruefully. He knew he would regret enlightening her on this subject. So much for keeping her distance! Yet, with the twist of disgust still maiming his thin lips, he goes on to say,]
I have tracked them with my own methods. But enjoying some bird-watching with a pair of binoculars does... ease this process.
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The scolding is expected. Naomi takes it without a single change to her neutral expression. It isn't as if she appreciates the money being transferred into her bank account currently anyway. It's annoying that the man is sacrificing his paychecks to her for no reason at all. And really, it isn't as if she can't provide for herself without him. The credits he's given her have mostly been collecting dust in her bank account.]
Call me what you want, but I came across the information purely by chance. You know I've been treating Malik for the last three weeks since the castle fell. As much as I may want to avoid his companions, it was inevitable that our paths would cross.
[Still as calm as ever, the woman picks up her coffee again, taking a generous drink before she continues.] It would be pointless for me to learn something so valuable and keep it to myself. I don't plan on becoming more involved than I already am, but I assumed your investigation may benefit from what I'd learned.
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Or that information might have eluded him forever. He won't ever discover how it might have gone, now, regardless. In a growl, he admits,]
You risking your neck is appreciated.
[But still foolish. After all, she's no use to anyone dead.
Javert stuffs the remaining portion of toasted cheese sandwich into his mouth. Chew. Chew. Swallow. He reaches for whatever is left of his soup.]
Malik, that would be the invalid. Where do you treat him? Your laboratory?
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