Description: Sneaking into a hotel room that's up high is hard work. So is building a mansion out of Lego. And so is realizing that there is something off about the way an old friend is behaving. Reese tries to convince Marius to steal a certain someone's bata for her, and Marius tries to steal her shiny new pendant in return. SPOILER ALERT: Marius doesn't get what he wants.
The Marriot Hotel, Executive Suite Room 1407.
As one might expect, its a very large room, 840 square feet with a view over the city. And exceptionally large television room with multiple chairs and a large sofa; and beyond the double doors across the room, a private master bedroom with two beds.
Marius didn't want to go through the trouble of getting a second room since Reese tended to be off and about, and didn't like staying in one area for too long. But he gave her a spare key regardless. As it heads toward evening with the sun setting early, Marius is relaxing on the couch while putting together a mansion made of lego blocks. He can't help it, he's a sucker for legos, ok? And the thing is about half his height so far. The television crew has turned in for the evening; so as far as he knows they'll be back in business in the morning. Which was fine; he didn't really have anything planned tonight anyway. ".. Hmn."
Marius, by the way, is clad in dress pants and a button-up white shirt with his sleeves rolled up.
Reese has had things to take care of. Contacts to meet. People to fight. A bata to steal -- that's right. If Marius has been paying attention to the recent Saturday Night Fight, he'll know that before Reese got taken out of the match she attacked Faolan for no apparent rhyme or reason.
Otherwise, Marius hasn't heard from his assistant since that misunderstanding at the night club in Sunshine City. The woman has been preoccupied.
Though she's got a key to the room, the Aussie isn't using it. Instead, she comes in through the window. How she got up there in the first place is a //very// good question. The answer quite likely involves bribing security for a key-card for the room a floor above and then leaping down from one balcony to the next.
Either way, she's got a bag on her shoulder like a felonious Santa Claus. One which is dropped just inside the window before she somersaults in and nearly rolls right into Marius as she does so.
Another piece is added, and then before he knows it, Marius is greeted by a bag, "... What in.." and then nearly bowled over by Reese- He practically leaps out of the sofa to escape the possible fate. His expression is priceless: just utterly baffled by Reese's entrance. "Really, Alice, -really-." he utters in annoyance, "I gave you a card -specifically- to avoid you doing th-- How did you even -get- to this floor?"
He'd facepalm is he wasn't so utterly perplexed. He only knew as much of the attack as the other home viewers of SNF; and obviously he didn't have a problem with it. And he wasn't even going to bother asking where she's been, even if he was annoyed by her absence as well.
"It's //Reese//," she corrects for the umpteenth time. Then she's pulling her hat off, and a dragging the ponytail along with it. Giving her head a shake she allows black hair to spill over her shoulders before she even bothers to look at him.
"You've heard of magic, mate? That's how." Hey, if he can't figure it out, she's not giving away a trade secret. Then she's eyeing him. "Legos? Honestly, you //are// like working with a child." There's a frown as she hefts the bag up, then she looks back at Marius again. "Where's the wand?"
"Ridiculous," Marius replies, seeming to ignore the name correction- and tried not to look too entranced by the release of the ponytail; it was like the world went into slow motion for that moment of time, blowing him away. But once that moment passed and he caught himself, he cleared his throat and went back to placing the pieces.
"There's a difference between 'magic' and what you just did, don't sully the word with that nonsense." And the shot toward legos caused his cheeks to redden, but he continued to concentrate all the same, "I challenge you to find a child, in this day and age, that makes models with legos. Besides, I can't draw. My mansion will look something like this. Perhaps a little bigger." pause, "Actually a castle isn't a bad idea." As for his wand; he does nothing more then pat the couch cushion. That could be taken a number of ways.
"Who's to say I didn't use magic?" Reese doesn't move to the couch -- not yet. She bides her time, moving the bag to a chair and digging through it. There are her old thieving tools in there. Ones she's not used since her big take down of her brother to get hold of the guns she's got at her hips. There's also a few pieces of jewelry that she's snagged off random people for the simple fact that it //would// look better on her than the fat rich woman in the mink coat.
If Reese could have gotten away with the //coat// as well, she likely would have.
Her hand fiddles in the bag until she snatches a diamond bracelet and snaps it onto her wrist. Staring down at it, she nods and then rolls her eyes. "You're building a mansion now?"
"A professional, of course," Marius replies to the first question with a bit of a smirk. The problem, though, was that he couldn't explain how Reese did what he did since he didn't have enough clues. He only knew she had a large bag, and there was no way she scaled that many floors without being seen. He secretly hoped Alice would not ask him how she did it.
When she started taking out her 'prizes', however, the magician looked toward them distractedly, ".. Oh my. Well, you've been doing rather well, it seems. What unfortunate household did you strike?" ... "Did you get my anything?"
Aftward, he frowned, "What's wrong with that? It won't be long before I have enough money to buy one you know! It needs to be perfect.. And have lots of trap doors. You like trap doors, don't you? You can't have those in a small house."
"Why would I get //you// anything. You attacked Faolan, and you didn't even steal his bata for me." There's a beat, and a slow smirk as she plays with the pretty diamond bracelet on her wrist. "If you want something from the bag, you'll get it for me." Batting her lashes at him, she finally moves toward the couch. Rather than seating herself on it, she starts to move the cushions around as though looking for a lost remote control.
Essentially, this //is// what she's doing.
Except, she's not looking for the remote control.
She's looking for the magic wand.
"Why would it matter if //I// liked trap doors? It's your house."
Well.. That was unexpected, despite what he had seen on tv, "What would you want -that- for?" he asks, "It didn't look very valuable to me.." he fiddles with a block, watching the thief curiously. As she lifts one of the cushions (where there is no wand. That leaves three others!), he raises a brow. "Alice.. When have I -ever- left the remote under the cushion? The news isn't on yet anyway."
What was with the wheeling and dealing all of a sudden anyway? He didn't have a suspicious look, but Reese seemed to be acting a little odd. "The bata.. So was that why you attacked him that other Saturday? Don't tell me you don't think you can beat him unless he doesn't have it. -Please- don't tell me that's the reason." His heart wouldn't be able to take it!
"I'm looking for the wand," she says in an offhand manner. As though it is the most important thing in the world at the moment. "It's valuable to you, and I want it."
There's a pause and she glances at him. "As for the bata, it's valuable as well. Otherwise Faolan wouldn't keep it with him wherever he is." Reese tilts her head and then shrugs her shoulders. "Does it matter how much it's worth? Sometimes things are worth more than they appear. You should know that better than anyone, mate."
She snorts and then shakes her head. "I kicked his Irish arse in Egypt. I can do it again. I just //want// the damned thing."
"Well, you're more straight to the point than usual," Marius replies, "So you're taking things just because they're vaulable to someone else? ... Are you feeling well?" there genuine concern. He looks over Reese more closely this time, but he makes no effort to stop the woman from searching the cushions. In fact, he doesn't budge if she checks the second, and he's sitting on the third. "By the way, while it's true that value can be in the eye of it's owner; in this particular case its only use is blackmail, or auctioning off to a fan and, no offense, you're the instant gratification-type." At least, last -he- checked.
"I'm taking things because they could be valuable to //me//," Reese replies. That's enough with the talking. The Aussie doesn't seem to want to say anything else, even going so far as to ignore his concern, genuine or not.
For at least a good minute.
"I feel //fine//. What's wrong with you? Stardom going to your head, Marius? Not good enough for a few quick and dirty robberies these days?"
Leaning in against him, she whispers, "Who said I was going to sell it. I want to know how it works. How the energy is channeled through it." Beat. "And if I were the instant gratification type, why would I still be bothering with //you//?"
"Somehow I highly doubt that," Marius replies while still curiously observing Reese. She didn't -look- like she was under the influence of drugs, but still he couldn't shake that something was off. But what?? "I don't really have the time to do anything meaningful," he then replies to the question.
Though his brows raise and he looks a smidge flustered as she gets -all- up in his business. Of course he can't leave his guard down since it could just be a ploy to pickpocket him. That is when he noticed the pendant about her neck for a split moment- There -was- something interesting about that. "We're talking about thievery, not relationships, Alice. I still don't understand your mentality for.. Ahem.. That.. Well, if you're truely interested, I suppose I could show you, but it's extremely complex. You'd have to take the magician's oath as well, of course."
"I don't want the complexity. If I wanted that, I'd have done it years ago." Reese rolls her eyes, and shoves him away from her. Then she's hopping off the couch, her hand going immediately to the pendant as though to protect it from him even having noticed it.
"Who said I was talking about relationships?" Beat. "And it's //Reese//!"
Stalking away from him, she swivels to face him. "It's fine. I've got an elsewhere to be, mate."
Oops, she caught him. Well, Marius would simply have to draw his attention to something else- Such as the bracelet she's now wearing. Though the talk of 'not wanting complexity' really seemed to get on his nerves as he raised a hand to his forehead, ".. Yes, how could I forget something like -that-." and he's pushed away. Oh there is SO MUCH SALT being rubbed into the wounds. SO MUCH SALT.
"You're starting to give me a headache. Just another day, is it? However I'm afraid I can't let you go just yet." Marius smirks as he stands up, hands in his pockets. "If I could borrow your bracelet for a day or two. I'd give it right back, of course."
"You want to //borrow// a diamond bracelet worth nearly five thousand dollars?" Reese snorts, and pulls even further away from him. "Not bloody likely."
//Besides you know it looks better on you, no matter **how** flamboyant Marius can be.//
The Aussie tells her inner voice to quiet itself, and she breaks into the mini bar to steal a bottle of water. Oh, it's not a major theft -- unless she counts the fact that the hotel will likely charge Marius at least seven dollars for it.
"Fine. I'll lend it to you, in exchange for your wand, hat, //and// cape."
Aw you bastard, that's a -7- dollar bottle of water! What a pain in the ass!!
Marius snerks, waving his hand in front of his face, then when he throws it outward, his hat is suddenly in it, which he places atop his head, "Alice, my dear, you're honestly starting to worry me. I'll take the annoyance to a certain degree, but you're moreso than usual."
With a flick of his opposite hand, he makes a fist, then when his hand opens, palm-down, a slender, silver stopwatch on a necklack dangles from his middle finger, "But if we're going to barter, I think it's fair we compromise on the matter. Have a seat, won't you?"
"That //is// the compromise."
Reese glances at the stopwatch, then shakes her head. "I'm not some patsy you can fool into one of your tricks, Marius. Not. Any. More." Then she's twisting the water bottle open and taking a long sip from it. There's not a chance he's going to get her to sit down and play good little hypnotized assistant.
Skirting past the couch, back to the window she frowns. "I'll just come back when you're sleeping."
"Oh who are you fooling?" Marius replies in a calm, but quick tone, "You're not even talking as if you intend to return my belongings; it's like giving your house to borrow a book from a library. With no refunds." he draws the tip of his hat downward and then chuckles.
"I suppose I'll stop beating around the bush; I suspect the bracelet may be more valuable than you give credit for. I could have it properly appraised. I figure that would be my thanks for you for getting me into this gig." he fibs, simply buying time. "And what is this about 'some patsy' and 'cheap tricks'? Just because you're -afraid- of my magic doesn't give you the right to insult it. I've raised you better than that."
'I'll come back when you're sleeping'. Eyebrow tick. "Was that even a threat?"
"That's a chance you'll just have to take, Marius."
Now that she's closer to the window, it also means she's closer to that sack she dropped in when she first clambered into the room. The bracelet is slipped off her wrist and tossed into the bag, and she shakes it up as though to lose that particular bracelet in with the others. Then she smirks.
"You expect me to trust you with it? With nothing in return? Sweetheart, I've got //more// contacts than you can imagine these days. If I want it appraised, I know where to go." Right back where she got the pendant from in the first place. The jewelry shop in Southtown.
"I'm not //afraid// of your magic. But I'm bloody well not going to let you hypnotize me just so you can steal what I've worked hard for." Her hand settles protectively around that pendant again and she stares at him. "A threat? No. A promise? Maybe."
There's a pause, and the magician looks slightly annoyed once Reese places the bracelet back into her back. "Tch." but then asks plainly, "I'm not a psychiatrist, but I can't help but notice you continuously touching that necklace. What is it, another family heirloom?" Reese is putting up an alarmingly good defense, much to his dismay, and he actually has no idea how she plans to escape through the window. Seems a little overdramatic. However after he asks that question, he makes a sideward chop with his hand, and the thick curtains would come toppling down upon his assistant. "Using hypnotism to steal from you? There are some things I'm not quite -that- simple about." he then notes.
The second Reese hears the stirring of the thick curtains, she leaps to the side, sack in hand, to avoid being caught up in them. Then she turns a rather wicked glare.
"The easier thing to do," the Aussie says with a hitch of annoyance in her voice, "Would have been to //ask// me to stay."
Then, because she's feeling rather cruel at the moment, she moves toward the table and drops the sack atop the Lego mansion, sending pieces of plastic scattering everywhere.
"Something like that." Beat. "The heirloom thing, I mean." It's //not//. It's far from being an heirloom, but it does sound as though no one else is touching it unless it's pried from her cold, dead hands.
"Tell you what, mate. You get that bata for me, I'll give you the bracelet outright."
Marius knew Reese was quick. But that was so quick he didn't have -any- time to close the distance between himself and her- and that was just annoying! 'Well her sense haven't dulled any..' he thought to himself with a slight frown. "Really. And -would- you have, Reese?" He's about to go one when suddenly.
*ka-scatter*
Marius looks down to the table. And then his jaw just -drops-. Aww.. D'awwww. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! "I see.." he then murmurs, his voice a bit shaken. "I.. I've put.. Seven hours into that piece.. We'll discuss the bata in a moment; as for right now.." the magician jabs his pointer finger outward, with a dramatic flare in his eyes, "You are -long- overdue for a spanking."
Marius knew Reese was quick. But that was so quick he didn't have -any- time to close the distance between himself and her- and that was just annoying! 'Well her sense haven't dulled any..' he thought to himself with a slight frown. "Really. And -would- you have, Alice?" He's about to go one when suddenly.
*ka-scatter*
Marius looks down to the table. And then his jaw just -drops-. Aww.. D'awwww. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! "I see.." he then murmurs, his voice a bit shaken. "I.. I've put.. Seven hours into that piece.. We'll discuss the bata in a moment; as for right now.." the magician jabs his pointer finger outward, with a dramatic flare in his eyes, "You are -long- overdue for a spanking."
"I might have."
Reese looks at him, not caring that she's just scattered Lego mansion all over the floor. "If you had //asked//."
Now, however, she's planning on leaving, right out the door. Because really, as fun as climbing out the window would have been, she'd have to count on them not having rented out the room upstairs in the time she's been dawdling here, and that would just be a pain.
"Promises, promises, Marius. But as I said, I've got an elsewhere to be. See this," she says, hefting the sack, "Needs to be disposed of before my next match. Worth a bloody fortune."
//It would still look better on **you**. Why don't you just keep a few pieces? It'll be better if you do. You'll look good as you fight...//
//You're right. Maybe a pair of earrings...//
//Keep the bracelet!//
Reese just shakes her head, trying to clear the inner conversation.
Marius cringes when the sack is raised again, since the legos stuck to it fall off and to the floor. "Is that right.." With the direction of exiting changed, however, it was easier for him to get in the way of Reese- She looked distracted, however, and that only made getting into place easier. In front of aussie, and with a sharp object in hand, he swiped at the bag with the intent of tearing it open and making -everything- spill out. "An eye for an eye, then. Not a hundred percent equal, but it's a start.."
Marius will be sorely disappointed by what falls out of the bag. A few trinkets that all look... rather similar. Bracelets. Diamond. Cubic zirconium. Hard to tell the difference. Oh, and old school thieving tools that he bought Reese several years ago.
Reese glares down at the mess, and doesn't even go for the tools. She starts scooping up the diamond bracelets -- at least the ones she //hopes// are diamonds.
"And //you// wonder why it never worked between us."
"Somehow I don't think that I'm the only one that wonders that.." Marius replies. He's not even sure that -Reese- knows what she wants. Well.. Aside from the obvious. Oh hush! "You always have to be difficult, even when things are -simple- you have to make them difficult." he takes a moment to study which objects she goes for first, and looks surprised. He didn't think she carried those tools around anymore. And it was futile to be annoyed that she didn't go for them first; but he was convinced she did that just to annoy him. Still, something was off, and she wasn't giving him enough hints to figure out what could have happeend.. Perhaps he'll just have to stalk her.
"If you want to leave with something of mine so badly, perhaps I could grant something you could -use-," Marius says as he reaches behind himself, and removes his magicians cape.. Which he would twirl around and set over the woman's shoulders. Of course, he intends to swap Reese's necklace with his small stopwatch in the process; then start to 'help' pick up the jewels.. Though she'd likely have scooped up most of it by then. "So I have your word that if I get the bata, I'll get the bracelet?"
"Paws off!" Reese doesn't so much as try to kick him as she lashes the whip out and sends it hurtling toward his torso as he attempts to snag the necklace. "That's mine. I'm not giving it up for a bloody cape and a fake silver watch." Twisting away from him, she leaves her tools behind. Which is a pity because she could //still// use them. The cape also flitters to the ground.
"I've never tried to be difficult. I had to cut off all ties to get what was rightfully mine. It's hardly //my// fault you didn't wait."
The she smirks, trying to drive that knife in just a little deeper. Adding just another dash of salt to the wounds.
"But it's too late //now//. I've moved on."
Aurgh -damn-! Reese was just -too- good! Well, perhaps it was to be expected that Marius' tricks wouldn't work flawlessly on his assistant. His cheeks redden and he grumbles a little as she scolds him, "..." And what? She seriously wasnt' going to take those either? And then that last knife; that's just mean spirited. Even the magician wouldn't be able to take that one in stride and his eyes narrow, ".. Get out. Now."
It //was// mean spirited, and if Reese were honestly thinking clearly, she //might// feel bad about it all. Only, she's not. She wants that wand, cape, and hat. She'll get them, somehow.
"Not trying to stop me anymore, Marius?" Grinning at him, she drops in and snags the tools right before she rushes for the door. "Whatever you say."
Beat.
"Firing me too? Does that mean the cameras //won't// be following me twenty-four seven?"
Marius suspects Reese will be back; and he specifically did not say 'and never come back' because whether he likes it or not, he really does need her. Not at this -exact- moment, however. He was upset, and while he also suspected she didn't mean it, it didn't make it any easier to deal with.. But he couldn't let his pride get -too- wounded because he had to trail her; at least for a little bit, no matter what his feelings were.
So he draws down the rim of his hat and says, "I only recall telling you to get out."
"Pity. I was really hoping they'd be gone too."
Reese hates cutting ties, but if necessary? She's no qualms with doing so. A glare is given Marius, then she shrugs. At least four diamond (or perhaps cubic zirconium) bracelets are on her wrists as she leaves. Her old tools are tucked under her arm. The rest of the mess is left for the magician, as though she just doesn't //care// that she destroyed a mansion and annoyed Marius.
"Better not fall asleep, Marius. I know where you hide those things when you sleep, and I've no issue taking them." The key-card is waggled at him and then she's out the door and down the hall.
Marius saunters over to his sofa and slumps into it with a sigh, rubbing at his lapels. He's left wondering just one thing, 'What the -hell- just happened?'. And -what- was going on? He grit his teeth as he played back what he could in his mind, though kept getting distracted by that one line 'I've moved on'. Aurgh, -so- frustrating.
The magician lets out a sigh, and then suddenly sits up when he realizes, ".. She -does- have the card." He had to get that back. On the plus side, that also meant he'd have another opportunity to get the necklace as well. He lightly stroked his chin as he got to his feet again, and tried to shake off his mixed feelings. The magician needed answers; and his only lead right now was that piece of neck jewelry.
Log created on 20:57:58 11/28/2011 by Reese, and last modified on 16:36:18 11/30/2011.