paixaorpg | Veni Vici Vetinari [Complete]

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Veni Vici Vetinari [Complete]

Character(s): Havelock Vetinari and whoever wants to stop by.
Content: Vetinari suddenly finds himself in another world. Damn those wizards!
Setting: Vanaheim
Time: Noon
Warnings: None so far.

Havelock didn't quite know when it had happened or even how for that matter, but he suddenly found himself standing in a field of the weirdest grass he had ever seen with a gate not too far off, feeling quite disorientated. Just what had happened? The young assassin tried thinking of the things he had been doing moments before, surely an answer would present itself. He had been walking; perhaps stalking was a more appropriate word, along the streets near the Unseen University...

Aha! The Unseen University, that was it. God knows what those wizards were up to. It didn't sound impossible to just walk into a different dimension due to some freak accident when they were concerned. He couldn't remember anything flashy going on though, usually there tended to be flashes or at least loud sounds. There hadn't been either of those.

After a moment of careful observation Vetinari passed through the gate unseen, taking along with him one of the boxes they were handing out. He wasn't sure what they were for but he'd find out soon. He stepped into the shadow of what seemed to be a tree of sorts, staying concealed and simply observed for now.

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Vexen had, quite simply, put himself on damage control for the afternoon. It wasn't necessarily a duty he enjoyed, but it was something that needed to be done, and there was certainly no way he was trusting those blasted neophytes after what had happened. They - one of them, at least, and he was fairly certain he knew which one - were the reason he was out here doing this detestable duty in the first place.

So he started with the nearest gate, inspecting both it and the people entering through, taking short notes on a clipboard and moving on, walking through the streets in his tan business suit, observing and taking notes.

For all his observation, however, he still failed to spot the young man concealed in the shadows.

The man with the clipboard immediately caught Havelock's attention. It was kind of hard not to miss him with the way he was suspiciously taking notes of everything around him. A City Official, perhaps something like an Unmentionable, or simply a loon? The assassin suspected the first, the man seemed relatively sane enough.

There was only one way to find out though. Havelock simply tailed the man for a while before walking around some sort-of-trees and stepping out in front of the man, suddenly quite visible. "City Official?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Vexen stopped short as the young man seemingly appeared in front of him. Any surprise he might have felt had long since been drilled out of him by the surprise appearances of the neophytes in childish attempts to play pranks and startle him. Instead, he was simply irked at this new delay.

"I am," he replied snappishly, not caring as to the exact veracity of that statement. "And I would much appreciate it if you would step aside. You are impeding my work."

Havelock couldn't help but grimace slightly at the response, a real City Official no doubt. Although this proved the place wasn't anything Ankh-Morporkian. If it were he would've been recognized as someone from the Assassin's Guild and most likely not snapped at.

"Very well," he said and stepped aside with every intention of still questioning the man regardless. "Although as a City Official, surely you could tell a foreigner a thing or two about your lovely city?"

This young man was certainly not helping Vexen's mood any. He could tell from his very demeanor that the "visitor" to the city would not be leaving him alone anytime soon. Disappearing into a corridor of darkness was out of the question - it would blow his cover rather thoroughly, and he had no guarantee that the young man wouldn't simply follow him.

So he took the route that would try his patience most: staying where he was and continuing, both with his task and his act. "And what exactly did you want to know?"

Havelock could tell there was more to the man than meets the eye somehow. He just couldn't pinpoint why he had the feeling, call it a gut instinct perhaps, but he figured he should proceed with some caution. It wouldn't do well pissing a City Official off in a strange city. Still, he needed the information.

"Oh you know, the usual," he said nonchalantly. "Things a foreigner should know like say...the currency, important people one should know of, any guild organizations, city hot spots. That sort of thing."

The boy was smarter than he first seemed, and very much so. Such an intelligence could not be allowed to run free through the city. He would need to be watched and then either neutralized or recruited. But for now, it was best to keep him talking.

"The local currency is growing on trees," he replied, gesturing shortly to a nearby example of the local artificial foliage. "It's a rather simple system. The Mayor is the one charged with running the city, and he is the one towards whom any questions about law and policy should be directed. There are no guilds here, and all of the Cafe Ersestat locations are always popular.

"Now, allow me a question of my own." He looked the young man squarely in the eye, intending to get the conversation back under his control. "What is your name?"

There was the slight raise of an eyebrow as Havelock's gaze followed the man's gesture at the tree. Perhaps if he had a more expressive face a look of disbelief might have flickered across it, but as it were his face showed nothing but the usual neutral expression. If currency was growing on the trees this certainly wasn't anywhere near Ankh-Morpork, the trees wouldn't have been left standing there otherwise.

The place sure sounded simple but he couldn't help but think there was more to it than that. He kept the thought to himself however and nodded politely.

"Certainly." He stared right back at the man, unperturbed. It was only fair after all the information the man had given him after all. There was a moment's hesitation as Havelock considered giving the man Downey's name but he figured since the place was nothing like Ankh-Morpork and an assassin wasn't recognized when seen, the Vetinari name wouldn't be known either. "Havelock Vetinari, yours?"

"Marlowe," Vexen lied. He'd not missed the moment of hesitation before the boy had given his name. He'd either received a fake name, or this was simply a clever ruse. Either way, he'd not spread his real name around, not after the mess the neophytes had caused.

"A pleasure to meet you, Havelock." More lies, but Vexen had never been one to care about or for pleasantries. The least he could do at the moment, he figured, was gather information on the intelligence in front of him. He fully intended to have a detailed report for the Superior. "If you don't mind my asking, what sort of place did you come from? Nicer than our fair city, I presume?"

"Likewise, Mr Marlowe," he returned with that polite smile parents would teach their children to do whenever they had to visit that nasty aunt again. Although this didn't quite apply to Havelock as he was practically raised by his aunt but it was only a matter of words.

"I come from a city known as Ankh-Morpork," he replied before taking a moment to look around. Frankly, this city was beautiful in that artificial kind of way. It looked a great deal more pleasant than Ankh-Morpork at least. But then any good assassin knew things weren't always what they seemed. "If you like to think of a city that is corrupt, polluted and prone to violence nicer than such a fair city as this one, then yes," he grimaced.

"Ankh-Morpork," Vexen repeated thoughtfully. "I can't say I've ever heard of it; it is, however, an intriguing name." And now that he had that name, as well as the name of the young man in front of him, he could gather more information from other sources. Surely one of his databases had information on this "Ankh-Morpork."

"I'm sorry to hear your home is in such a state." He was becoming rather skilled at lying. "Maybe something can be done to better it once you return." As though that would happen. "In the meantime, I do hope you enjoy your stay in Paixao. Perhaps there is something I could do for you, to help you get settled?" Both he and Havelock were walking on a thin veneer of politeness, and Vexen knew it. He'd continue to play the nice city official, however, if it would get him the information he desired.

Havelock nodded, he imagined Ankh-Morpork must be quite the unusual name for a foreigner to hear. Especially the way it was said it could be quite amusing.

"Don't be," he waved his hand as if to dismiss the matter. Ankh-Morpork was Ankh-Morpork, all the violence and poverty were just part of it. In fact, it was hard to imagine Ankh-Morpork without it. It just....wouldn't be Ankh-Morpork anymore. He considered the suggestion though, better it? It was probably too hopeless to try such a thing. However, organizing things might help...Thinking about it brought up a question that he was quick to ask. "Is there a way for one to return?"

Havelock thought about Vexen's offer for a moment before shaking his head. Money was usually all you needed to get settled and since there seemed to be plenty growing on the local plant life there was no problem there. "Ah, one more question though," he said politely as he fished the rectangular box he had snatched along in his passing through out of his pocket. "These are?"

"There is," Vexen answered, "on the other side of the city, but it is not yet complete." And never would be, had he anything to say about it. "Some have found it amusing to watch its progress: I simply trust that it will be finished and functional shortly. Until then, I'm afraid there is little I can do for you in that respect."

"That is one of the city's journals." Vexen held out his hand, as if expecting Vetinari to give it to him - which he was. "I can show you its capabilities if you like."

"I see," Havelock murmured, his interest piqued. He made a mental note to check it out later. It sounded somewhat suspicious, just like the entire city and the individual before him were. Maybe it was just his assassin-nature that made him so suspicious of everything but he couldn't help but think there was some ulterior motive going on here.

A journal? It certainly looked like the strangest journal he had ever seen. It looked nothing like a book considering it held no paper. "I would be most grateful," he nodded and placed the journal in Vexen's hand.

"Certainly." Vexen took the journal and deftly flipped it open, waiting for the screen to light up. "Here," he indicated the screen," is your personal journal. Good for thoughts, notes, and anything else you might wish to remember." No mention of how it was visible to the public - Vetinari could have that fun discovery on his own.

He pressed a few keys, changing the display. "This is the message board. Any announcements, anything you want to find, can be posted here." A few more keystrokes changed the display yet again. "And this is the messenger, if you wish to speak with anybody privately." He indicated a button on the outside - "This enables voice recognition." - and offered the journal back to Vetinari.

Havelock watched Vexen's progress carefully, making sure to memorize everything the other was doing. Silently marveling at the device as Vexen changed the displays, was it magic that made this device work? Whether it was or not, he was sure the wizards would probably have quite some fun figuring it out if they ever got their hands on something like this.

He made another mental note to check this 'message board' out and thoroughly gather more information from it as he took his journal back. "Thank you for your time, Mr Marlowe," he continued on that thin veneer of politeness although they both knew Havelock would have insisted either way.

"You're very welcome," Vexen replied, also skating on that thin politeness between them. "Should you ever have questions, I can be reached over the journals as well." Hands free, he resumed taking notes on his clipboard. Sick as he was of being polite, he wouldn't brush Vetinari off just yet. It went against his image as city official, after all, and he found the boy interesting.

"Very well," Havelock bowed his head, the closest thing he would come to actually bowing. There was a small moment where he simple watched Vexen before taking a few steps back and blending in with the shadows again.

Although unseen now, or at least hopefully as Paixao's shades weren't quite as 'blendable' as the ones in Ankh-Morpork, he still remained watching the city official. As Vetinari was interesting to him, so was he to Vetinari.

Vexen nodded back, returning the...well, given the pair, it certainly wasn't a sign of respect...greeting and watching as Vetinari disappeared back in the shadows. He was definitely an interesting person, and would need to be watched closely.

Normally Vexen was not one for challenges, but this was one he would certainly take.

Satisfied, he turned and resumed his inspection of the gate.

Assassins generally could have a lot of patience. Havelock especially since he was the only one who bothered with camouflage. Then again he was the only one who was interested in it. He could stick around and watch the City Official in case he did something suspicious but the young assassin was itching to find out more about the city, explore it and check out the places that were brought up during their conversation.

There was a moment of contemplation before he finally made the decision and he slunk away into the city, sparing Vexen one more glance over his shoulder before disappearing into an alley.

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Veni Vici Vetinari [Complete]

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