[Lord English]

Bell’uomo took the chance to relax a bit, now knowing that the common couldn’t hear the mafia talk. He smirked and said, “Good point.” He heard the name and that also brought a smile. “Bell’uomo Mortelupi, il mio bambino.” He threw in the last part to be formal but also poke a little fun at her small size. He took a deep breath and then continued the second part to the question, “If you all are so powerful, why made so small? Is it not difficult to find respect? I am sure bosses respect you and underlings made to, still, you understand me?” He was trying to plae things that didn’t make much sense into a form that did. He liked them as a grouping and didn’t want to step his bounds, but he had to push them a bit if he wanted information.

[Peridot]

Manticore sucked in some breath and tried, but failed, at keeping her eyebrow from twitching at the little pet name she had just been given. Even after all this time, the Arcobaleno was still incredibly sore at being trapped in an infantile form. The thief’s skill at casting illusions was so great that she could frequently even fool herself with them, and in the past she had used her skill to take on many, many different appearances. Yet, the curse prevented her from altering her appearance for vanity purposes. It was incredibly frustrating on multiple levels as interactions with other people usually turned into an enormous, needless hassle. She was a grown woman, dammit!

Her eyebrow twitched again as her smirk was replaced with a flustered scowl. It would best to nip that kind of behavior in the bud before he became accustomed to it. “Please, do not refer to me as …. THAT… ever again… but pleased to meet you.” She cleared her throat to make sure her voice didn’t crack again. Damn these vocal cords. That had been embarrassing and he was beginning to ask more pointed questions.

“Tch, obtaining respect outside of the Mafia is ridiculously difficult. Fear is much easier, but less useful, honestly.” The irritated scowl shifted into a simple frown. “In answer to your other question, it isn’t my secret to tell but I assure you it is completely out of my control.” She said that last bit bitterly, for maintaining illusions was all about control. “It’s especially difficult to go clubbing as well, tch. Figures.”

“So, why the interest? Most people just go with it, honestly.”

[Lord English]

Bell’uomo glanced down at the outburst and spoke in an apologetic tone, “Mi dispiace.” He listened to her reasoning behind respect and fear. As for her stating that it was out of her control and that it wasn’t her secret to tell, that peaked his interest once more. His thoughts focused on why and how, but he smirked a bit at the clubbing bit. He heard the question, his interest. He smirked a bit and said, “I am a man of information. If I do not know it or understand it, I find all of the information I can gather. If I run out of information, I track sources and question further. That is one of the main reasons my life was attempted on but it will not stop me from gathering what I can on everything.” He took a deep breath. “So with that in mind, what can you tell me?”

[Peridot]

Manticore listened to his description quietly, showing him enough respect to hear his entire explanation without interruptions. Her face did not change even an millimeter to suggest any reaction to his words, although her yellow eyes focused unblinkingly on Bell’uomo. She was interested in whatever information he might have uncovered that caused that much of a problem that he needed to be assassinated, and mentally noted this boss’ name as an interesting source of info in case she might need some later. Once he asked his question, the Arcobaleno took a moment to carefully consider her words before responding.

“I can tell you that although knowledge is power, misinformation is more dangerous than ignorance. Or should I call that mist-information?” She smirked at her own pun before continuing, with a smile on her face. “Honestly, I’m surprised you’d come to a Mist user for answers. How do you even know you can trust what I’m telling you? I could conjure up the most delicious lies.”

[Lord English]

He chuckled at her joke and then listened to her reasoning for why he shouldn’t talk to her. Not talk, but at least ask questions. He had an immediate and simple answer, “I search any and all avenues for information. This makes sure that all information is accurate. Besides, as long as I know a face if I come across a liar they tend to not last very long. Do you know the one bank right down from the emissary? It has a weird blue roof. Either way, they made a twist to the policy due to a loop hole and let’s just say I had it fixed.” He smiled at her and then said, “Don’t take that as a threat, I am sure one such as yourself knows better than to screw over a top dog.” He looked out the window as a plane came in. Wasn’t his, but it was pretty. “So what reason do I have not to trust you? And don’t use ‘mist’ as your answer.”

[Peridot]

[color color=#9900FF] Manticore smiled back at the mention of the bank. While it might not have technically been a threat, the Arcobaleno certainly saw his casual assertion of power and influence as a move meant to intimidate and remind her that she was dealing with a mafia boss. It seemed the assassination attempt hadn’t broken his pride or courage (even if it had made a mess of his Family). He had even managed to slide in a canine pun. Mortelupi certainly was shaping up to be an intriguing conversation partner. He didn’t yap, stutter or bluster like other bosses tended to do. She found herself wanting to see just how he’d confront and deal with the culprit of the assassination attempt.

When he took the moment to glance at the incoming plane, Manticore checked the arrivals list and saw that it was the delayed plane she had been waiting for. Knowing the immigration policies, she should still have some time before her contact made it there. Worst came to worse, she could just move him into a limo and catch up later. Yeah, that sounded like the better plan since it was also getting closer to nap time.

” Tch, here’s one reason to not trust me: I’m a thief. Last I checked, cat burglars and dogs don’t get along.” She smirked, “My specialty is and was stealing from mafia families. I’m not currently here to cause trouble, but that doesn’t mean you should be taking what I say on faith.”

The infant suddenly let out a long yawn and rubbed her eyes sleepily. “Tch, sorry about that.” It was a shame, but it seemed that the coffee’s caffeine still had no effect on staving off the limitations of her physical form. “Where were we? Trust, right. Now, if an information lover such as yourself were willing to engage in some quid pro quo…well, that’d be a different story now wouldn’t it? [/color]

[Lord English]

He looked at the small woman and took the yawn as a sign of what that form held. He picked up his breifcase and set it onto his lap. He pulled it open only an inch and slid out a blank sheet of paper and a pen. He proceeded to write down a phone number and folded the paper in half. He then handed it to her and said, “Favors are always granted, even if it means talking with my own assassin.” He gave a firm smirk and chuckled a bit. “Any information is liked but I will say, I only trade it evenly. Based on it’s worth to the receiver, that is. I like using a 0-10 ranking system. You give me information and I tell you it’s a five, I will hand you information of equal value to you or vice versa.” He then sighed and said, “Just don’t call today or between 5am and 10am tomorrow. Alright?” He let his smirk leave his face as the case was shut and placed down next to his leg.

[Peridot]

[color color=#9900FF]Manticore raised an eyebrow at both the man’s caution in opening only the barest crack of his briefcase as well as the detailed explanation of how his information network would work. Granted, he had mentioned that he liked to gather information but he was much more meticulous than the thief would have anticipated. “I will keep that in mind,” she responded as she accepted the slip of paper and quickly entered the information into her own phone.

Also, she noticed how he completely overlooked the fact that she had blatantly admitted to being a thief. It would serve the cocky bastard right if he came back to find his base plundered of precious loot, she thought uncharitably. Unfortunately, she had already revealed herself and made a point of mentioning that she wasn’t up to any mischief.

“So, what type of information is the most valuable to you?” Even if she didn’t have or feel like giving the boss any information, it was a good chance to try and map out his current line of questioning.

[/color]

[Lord English]

Bell’uomo nodded to her saying she’d keep it in mind. Then the small cute thing asked what kind of information is most valuable to him. He’d of thought that would be obvious, but he’d give her a list. He chuckled and said, “My most valued information would be on the assassin who took out my family. Naturally, once I have collected enough I will make an eye for an eye, if possible.” He let a more sinister smirk come across his face as he said, “Other information I hold just about as high is information on new families. I like to watch them, seeing as the older families are all old hat. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” He lost the smirk but the sinister look turned stern.

[Peridot]

[color color=#9900FF] “Ah, I was wondering whether you knew the assassin or not. Mortelupi, I shall keep an eye out and make a few inquiries then,” Manticore responded reflecting on how it had been a while since she had really gotten interested in revenge schemes. Whatever information provoked the hit on him and his family might be worth calling in a few favors for. The sloppy way the hitman went about it inclined Manticore to blame one of the newer families. It was just plain stupid and unprofessional to kill a boss’ guardians and not clean up the loose ends.

“It sounds like war has begun,” she commented softly to herself, slumping into her seat with the bangs from her hair shadowing her expression.

War between families was on the way, and it would provide the perfect opportunity to rack up favors as well as being a perfect distraction for some daring heists. Yes, she’d help the wolf and take advantage of the carnage left in his wake. A smile came to the Arcobaleno’s face at the thought even as her eyes glazed over when the infant promptly fell asleep with her eyes still open. The pangolin shifted and stretched out protectively into the young baby’s lap while Manticore began to slip into deep breathing. Even while dreaming, the illusion surrounding them still held. [/color]

[Lord English]

Bell’uomo smirked at the fact she would keep a look out for information. This was something he knew was going to cost him, he was no moron. He had information to spare, useless to him but perhaps of use to another. He peeked over as the pangolin went into her lap, tilting his head a bit to try and see her eyes. He then looked at the pangolin and smirked. He took a deep breath and relaxed a bit, he had nothing else to say and he didn’t want to interrupt her if she was sleeping as the slouch suggested to him. He would stay put until his plane arrives, attempting conversation with her neat little pet. He proceeded to tilt his head up, the hip ‘sup nod’ as a form of communication to it.

[Peridot]

[color color=#9900FF] Carmen the pangolin noticed the man sitting beside her partner and blinked her two charcoal colored eyes at Bell’uomo inquisitively. Manticore had fallen asleep and left him in her illusion of concealment, so he couldn’t have been deemed an immediate threat. Instead he looked even relaxed when the presence of Arcobaleno tended to intimidate or disturb most mafioso. It was rare for Manticore to spend time with other people, so it was unusual to see her content enough to talk to someone who wasn’t a subordinate around the time of her daily nap.

The scaly beast curled and flipped so that she could shuffled closer to the man, her nose detecting the faint scent of rich wine and dog fur. Manticore mumbled sleepily at the movement when her partner’s tail brushed against her face but remained deep asleep and simply shifted to rest her head against the chair’s arm-rest. After the man gave a nod as a form of greeting, Carmen promptly flicked out her long, wet tongue and tried to lick him on the cheek. “Chuu~!” [/color]

[Lord English]

He was curious as to what the little thing had been picking up on as it sniffed, most likely his wolf. He let out a content breath through his nose and then let Carmen lick him on the cheek. He was sitting with a smile after that and quietly chuckled. He looked at the small being and its scaled beauty and whispered, “You’re a cute one.” He went back to chilling, peeking to see if his plane was coming in but didn’t see it yet. He took a deep breath and relaxed almost fully, only peeking around from time to time out of sheer habit.

[Peridot]

[color color=#9900FF] The pangolin wagged its scaly tail happily and made a pleased squeak. Just because she was an animal didn’t mean she was impervious to flattery, and the man had certainly gotten onto her good books with the comment. Carmen and Manticore sat in silence for a good moment, letting the hustle and bustle of people hurrying past to get to their flights in time and the constant hum of crowded humanity be the only noise. After a few minutes had passed, the sultry yet rhythmic tune of Bizet’s Habanera chimed in 8-bit from the sleeping Arcobaleno.

The pangolin was about to try and paw her way into the man’s lap and see how good her “cuteness” was for extorting some pets or scratches when the Arcobaleno’s ringtone began. Carmen turned to face her partner with expectant eyes, and when the infant failed to wake up and check her phone, the pangolin’ eyes narrowed in concentration. A second went by as Carmen simply stared at Manticore’s face before suddenly flicking her tongue and hitting the sleeping Arcobaleno square on the tip of her nose at a seemingly lightning-fast speed. Manticore snapped awake at the assault and rubbed the struck nose with her hand, all the while glaring at the offending creature.

“Carmen,” she hissed threateningly, “there better—” The Arcobaleno broke off of her threat when she heard the chime of her phone, and diverted her attention to pull the phone out of her sleeve and glance at it before switching the alarm off. The beast licked the illusionist’s face as a tender apology for the rude awakening and received some scratching underneath the two scales just behind her ears in return.

Manticore then gathered her composure and wariness back together before she turned to the man sitting beside her and sighed, “I can tell you’ve met my partner, Carmen, already. Hopefully, you didn’t allow her anywhere near your pockets?” The rhetorical question was coupled with a raise of the eyebrows implying that he was an idiot, if he had done so. In answer, Carmen tried to lick the man’s cheek in a friendly gesture. Hmph, even Carmen likes this guy? She isn’t normally a fan of mafiosos, Manticore thought to herself before continuing.

“It was interesting to chat with you, Mortelupi but it seems my contact has arrived and I must go meet with him. Just so you aren’t caught unawares, I’ll dispel the illusion here as soon as I am out of sight.”

The Arcobaleno didn’t want to accidentally mislead the mafia boss into thinking he was still concealed once she departed.

[/color]

[Lord English]

Bell’uomo smiled at the creature and looked at the owner as the phone went off. His look went back to the creature as it sat itself and stared at its owner. He watched the nose flick and then Manticore waking. He heard her speak in anger then giving thanks to the small creature. Then he gazed up at her again as he was asked if he’d let the pangolin near his pockets. He proceeded to flip them inside out to show he had nothing in them anyway, it seeming that some time he had slipped his travel documents into the briefcase at some time. He then pressed them back in and said, “It was nice talking to you too. I am sure our paths will cross again. And thank you.” He stood up as he saw his plane arrive. “Seems I have to go as well. Caio.” He bowed his head to her and began to walk to his flight, not before grasping his briefcase and walking to go catch his flight. He knew it would still be a little but he hadn’t been at the correct place anyways. He would sit closer to his flight and open the briefcase just a crack to show darkness as his fingers reached in and pulled out his ticket.