Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-26104528-20150531022109/@comment-26130256-20150803224154

"You must understand, Mr. Panzier," Blackstone continued, "that my chosen calling is about uncovering secrets, not divulging them."

"Which is Blackstonese for 'I'm not telling'. Sadly, a very common response on his part," Azulius snarked, still trying to lower his heart rate.

"As to why I am here, it has nothing to do with your actions today.  There are only a handful of restaurants in the world who understand the exact quantity of cinnamon to add to a man's wormwood tea, and the Melange a Trois is the one closest to the home of my cousin, Copperfield, with whom I was visiting."

"Copperfield runs the better magic shop here in Vale," Azzie stage whispered. "If there's a better card cheat on Remnant, I haven't seen him."

"Indeed, my cousin has enjoyed great profit from the supposed machinations of Fortuna.  However, before I forget..." Blackstone calmly pulled Stahlfritz's CATSAI from his suit jacket. "I believe Mr. Cardamom would like his Scroll back."

Frantically reaching into his own jacket, Azulius moved to pull out his own scroll, only to find a matte black model with blood red highlights, doubtless belonging to Blackstone. "A Minnesota Hit-n-Switch, teach?  Really?  Is that how lowly you think of us?"

"If you were really sufficiently distracted to fall for a Hit and Switch, then yes." As if on cue, the scroll in Fritz's pocket began to vibrate.

=
Trigo Cardamom would have laughed, both at Fritz's choice of music and Zephrion's reaction, but the movie chose just that moment to explode.

"A lesson from a criminal mastermind who managed to survive into old age:  Do.  Not.  Taunt. Murphy," Ochre replied with a half-smile, trying to hide his concern for his soldiers who may have been caught in the blast. After a few agonizing seconds, the feed switched back to Stahlfritz's camera, as he helped provide something resembling first aid to the wounded mobsters.

"Case in point."