[voice & action]

[swooshycape]

voice

[ Sometime Monday afternoon, a voice pops up on the network to ask a single question. The voice is low and gravelly, and it's relatively toneless, though if one listens closely, there's a faint edge. Anyone who knows Vincent well can probably tell he's not happy, but to others, he's more or less monotonous. ]

Who here has a lab... and where... can I find it?

[ There are words he wishes to have with a certain doctor... ]

action

[ Otherwise, Vincent spends a lot of time lurking and simply watching people during the week - sometimes outright avoiding them but others just... observing. He's starting to gain a few familiar haunts, even if he has yet to claim a room as his own.

Most mornings he begins at the beach, sitting on the pier and watching the sunrise while he smokes a cigarette or two. If any early risers happen to comment on his smoking habit, they will be promptly given a flat look and then ignored. His lungs can take it, and it's soothing as much for the ritualistic movements as the nicotine. Old habits die hard.

Later on in the day, he can be found exploring the forest. He doesn't go too far in, having heard the warnings, and he finds it strange that nothing lives there besides the trees, but that doesn't stop him from investigating. He moves very quietly, and if anyone happens to join him in the forest, they're liable to get stalked... Don't be surprised to find him lurking in the trees, sometimes hopping between them. The strange thing, though, is when he leaps, there's something almost smokey about him, with his cape swirling around him. It's almost like he's flying a little... maybe he is.

But much of the time, when he actually is in the mansion, he can usually be found in one of three places:

The library - where he lurks in dark corners, reading assorted books - or Dean's Bar - where he lurks in a dark corner or at the bar and nurses a variety of drinks - or the tea rooms where he.... ignores the tea and drinks coffee instead. But they're normally quiet, secluded rooms, and he likes that.

(But really, feel free to bother him just about anywhere! At least he's not threatening people with his gun anymore...) ]

Comments

[lightgunhustler]

Parts of it were, anyway.

[She smiles a little in reply, though it doesn't quite reach her eyes this time.]

Maybe death wasn't that boring, but I think I always knew I wouldn't die of old age.

[swooshycape]

Heh. [ He takes another sip of his drink. ] ... I know the feeling.

[lightgunhustler]

[She raises one eyebrow, looking at him curiously.]

Dangerous line of work?

[swooshycape]

[ He nods. And doesn't really elaborate. If she asks, maybe he'll tell her a bit, but he is content to otherwise just answer simply. ]

[lightgunhustler]

[She leans forward over the table a little.]

So what did you do?

[swooshycape]

... whatever needed done.

[ A very slight smirk creeps onto his face as he thinks about how he's described it to others. ]

... aggressive defense for the company I worked for...

[lightgunhustler]

Aggressive defense.

[She has to smile a little as she echoes that.]

Sounds like you spent a lot of time living in gray areas.

[swooshycape]

Ah... that is one way of putting it.

[lightgunhustler]

Why'd you leave? If it's not too personal to ask. Didn't agree with the lifestyle anymore?

[That would be her first guess for anyone in that kind of profession.]

Or something else?

[swooshycape]

Hn. ... early retirement by way of a couple bullets.

[ So... something else, basically. But then again, one could say the lifestyle didn't agree with him. ]

[lightgunhustler]

Injury? Or is that how you died?

[Injury seemed a little too optimistic. Maybe it was too frank, asking like that, but he'd been the one to suggest trading death stories. Why not ask?]

Sorry. Sounds like a lousy way to retire, either way.

keywords

[swooshycape]

Died.

[ He doesn't really mind, given that he suggested the trading to begin with. ]

... unfortunately I never did get a pension for it. [ In other words, he totally agrees with it being a crap way to retire. ]

He really does though.

[lightgunhustler]

Well, that's just bad form. They could at least give you what you're owed.

[She smirks, though just a little.]

Rude.

[swooshycape]

Quite. ... but I am not sure I'd want their money now.

[ Forgive him if he's a little soured towards ShinRa right now. ]

[lightgunhustler]

Blood money? Or are you just that bitter about how they treated you?

[Her curiosity had been known to get her in trouble before, but right at this moment? Well, there was no real harm, was there?]

[swooshycape]

Mostly... I would prefer to stay off their books and out of their sight for now.

[lightgunhustler]

Can't blame you for that. They sound like they're pretty bad news. Best to just avoid 'em, right?

[She glances over her shoulder towards the bar before turning back to face him again, giving him a small but very genuine smile.]

I've got some cleanup to get back to, but -- you want another refill before my hands get busy?

[swooshycape]

Sure. ... thank you.

[ For the drink and, he supposes, the company. ]

[lightgunhustler]

[She nods to confirm, turning to head back towards the bar and quickly fetch him another drink, setting it down on the table and sliding it over in front of him before reclaiming the old glass.]

Give a shout if you need anything, okay? And -- thanks. For letting me crash your table for a few.

[swooshycape]

[ He gives a slight salute with his claw. It's his way of saying both 'sure' and 'no problem; it's your bar, isn't it?' He is very communicative with his salutes. ]