Lowered guard

[Claire]

Claire loved Jaxen's reaction. He seemed completely off-put by her suggestion. Her victory kept a coy smile plastered to her lips throughout the duration of his brush-off. She put the things back in her bag and shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said.

The boys got down to brass tacks. Claire did indeed recognize Michael's name. Strange indeed that he came up again from so surprising a source. He must make quite the impression. Claire was looking forward to meeting him someday. She was building up quite an impression of him. Hopefully he didn't disappoint.

Speaking of impressive, she loved the way Tony stood up to Jaxen's demands. Witnessing the way the two interacted was like watching dueling pianists trying to out do one another at a bar.

Claire ended up with her legs crossed and staying quiet. She wasn't much of one to talk her tongue off like some blonde haired bimbo, but she was intrigued by Jaxen's story. A kidnapping? Escape? It was almost concerning, but he seemed to have survived unscathed.

She turned to him upon Jaxen's final offer. What exactly did Tony want out of life? And was it something Jaxen could provide?

[Tony Soloyov]

Tony's brows rose at Jaxen's veiled offers.

What would the man sell to gain a power beyond imagination?

His arrogance was both amusing and galling. On one level, Tony respected the smooth answer. What else could he expect? What else could Jaxen offer?

Yet, in many ways he was still a child. What could he offer Tony who lived on borrowed time with the power to kill or heal with nothing but his mind?

What could he offer in the face of a potential disaster which Jensen had spoken of?

What indeed...

Tony's smile was sharper than the headsman's axe. He would discover just how serious Jaxen was. "You are but a bastard son of a billionaire . Money could not help me even if I wanted it. However..."
His pause was deliberate and sinister. "Say your father were to suffer a disgrace... Money can only buy so much, but influence...influence is power."



Edited by Tony Soloyov, Mar 20 2014, 07:15 AM.

[Jaxen Marveet]

It seemed the two of them were having the same conversation. Tony knew how to play. That was something, at least.

Name calling pulled Jaxen's brows up. Technically, Jaxen was one of only two of his siblings who weren't bastards. But he'd been called worse. Though coming from a self-righteous punk like Tony was something of a surprise.

Especially with what came after.

The playfulness in Jaxen's expression slid away. As did the relaxed, slouched posture he'd taken up. He straightened, and leaned forward, hands on his knees, and not at all unwilling to match Tony eye for eye.

"You little piece of shit. What do you think I am? A fucking retard? I'm not desperate enough to screw over my own family. Get out of my house."


Fuck Tony. He wasn't the only pawn on the board.

[Tony Soloyov]

Tony's smile turned down in annoyance at Jaxen's tirade. Not out of any surprise at the hostile reaction, but of disappointment that he still didn't seem to understand.

Still, he could not fault Jaxen entirely, he had provoked him to it and earned his anger. It was also good to know he had some semblance of loyalty.

Tony did not rise, giving Claire a small smile of reassurance - although he doubted she needed it by her earlier performance. "That was unfair of me,"
he said to Jaxen in a softer voice. "I wouldn't have agreed even if you did."


His apologetic tone turned harder. "I don't need any payment to teach you what you need to know. What I do need is to make sure you aren't stupid enough to kill yourself or others. I won't create a monster."


"Perhaps you remember, people hunt those with our powers like vermin to be destroyed. This is no game, nor is the power a toy. I assure you, if you do not take it seriously - you will die."


Tony rose, the moment itching his flare for the dramatic although he kept his words short and sharp. "I don't like you, I don't trust you, but I will help you if you can put aside your pride and learn. I can't just give you the answers in exchange for money or gifts. As it stands, I could crush you without a second thought, whatever rudimentary control you think you have gained. To learn, you have to learn self-control and follow my instruction unless you want to risk killing yourself out of ignorance."


"It is a fucking dangerous curse that we have, friend and I would not see you die because of it. So, the choice is yours."


Tony was perhaps too harsh. Certainly more so than he was usually but Jaxen was a unique challenge. Perhaps it was because the man reminded him so much of himself that he pushed harder than he had for anyone, even Michael.


Edited by Tony Soloyov, Mar 20 2014, 08:58 AM.

[Claire]

Claire was definitely surprised by the sudden turn of mood. She may have shown plenty of backbone earlier, but even she was slightly relieved when Tony shot her a smile of reassurance.

Tony gave her the gist of what talking to Jaxen entailed, but so far she was thrown for a fairly big loop. She didn't know anything about the elite families of Moscow, no more than she knew about the elite families of New York City... or what was left of them.

She did, however, know a thing or two about what it was like to be tracked down and executed like a rat in the street. If Jaxen knew anything that she did about it, then he should be begging Tony for the grace to help him. Instinct only helped people like them so much.

Since they weren't getting thrown out, Claire crossed her arms and got comfy.

[Jaxen Marveet]

He waited for Tony and his friend to get their asses out of his home. When he didn't, a faint wisp of dread curled around the back of his mind. Slapping people around with words was one thing, but confrontation with someone actually capable of kicking his ass tended to be something Jaxen prefered to avoid. Toe forward until finding the edge of that cliff, then back the hell off. He wasn't a fucking suicidal maniac.

If the two men were on the verge of dark throes, the tension passed unacknowledged. Jaxen had a feeling Tony was right. Michael might be the titan in the room, but for an infant like Jaxen, even a prepubescent asshole like Tony could crush his skull. Probably time to play nice. Even if the fucker started it.

"Unfair of you?"
Jaxen did not look amused. He turned to Claire, "he always like this?"
The tone in his question was elevated beyond the danger lurking moments before, but Jax was not quite back to being his rambunctious self yet. Especially when being told he could transform into some sort of psychopath by learning to use their powers. Jaxen recognized he was kind of a sick dude, in a my father hates me and I feel like an outsider in my own family but yet i'm still loyal to them for some messed up reason kind of way. But he wasn't a monster. Outside the bedroom at least.

Tony was one to talk about toys. Being that he'd fucked around like they were playing some game themselves. Jax had every intention to use the power to his own ends, trivial and profound alike. But at least he'd never thought about turning into a murderer: wielding threats around like some backwood inbreed hurling an axe at his victims.

"Despite what you may think, friend, I am capable of following instructions. Its how I ended up here,"
his arms lifted, purveying the scenery around them, "rather than military school."
A glint shot toward Claire, "with a nice detour through Mumbai for a few years."
He kicked a nod toward the door, implicating the Indian beauty they passed on the way out. "Did you meet Sachi?"
He paused, looking off sharply, "Or was it Sasha?"
He shrugged and turned attention back to Tony, seemingly offended.

"Look. I'm not sure what choice you allude to. But if its to ask you to come, and generously offer a trade in return for services rendered, in order to learn from someone who clearly knows his shit, then I think we've established I'm game for such an arrangement."



Might as well start buttering up Tony now. He did seem to get off on knowing he was in charge. That was fine with Jaxen. Delayed was the best type of gratification in the world, and he was an incredibly patient man.


Edited by Jaxen Marveet, Mar 21 2014, 07:28 AM.

[Tony Soloyov]

Tony repressed a sigh of frustration. It was like talking to a brick wall. It seemed his quick wits were selective. The man made Michael seem like a trained puppy in comparison!

Could he not understand that this was not an issue of compensation, but life and death? No amount of pride or money would save him from the blade or bullet of an assassin.

Tony let Claire decide if or how to reply to the smart-ass comment about the Indian woman and got to the point. "Good, it's a start at least. I have very few rules. I'm not your father"
he let that hang a moment before continuing. Damn but it was hard to control himself with this man! "All I ask in return is you keep this 'arrangement' to yourself and don't try anything that will draw attention to your power. That's not only for my sake, but your own. Attention will get us both killed. I'll teach you how to use it without killing yourself and enough so your not helpless if anyone decides the world is better off without Jaxen Marveet."


It was with great reluctance that he added one last part, but he had dedicated himself to the cause, for good or ill. "If you ever find yourself in trouble because of your power, you have a friend you can come to for help."



Edited by Tony Soloyov, Mar 21 2014, 11:12 PM.

[Jaxen Marveet]

Tony really worked himself up. Over what, Jaxen couldn't say. He'd been nothing but cordial the entire time. Down to offering a pretty compensation in exchange for the favor. Instead, Tony tried to goad him into something he claimed to not actually want. Either Tony was saving face, claiming it was all a misunderstanding following Jaxen's denial. Or it was all a set up to see how Jaxen would react. The former sounded more plausible, but as their conversation continued, Jax was almost wiling to bet there was a hint of genuine concern in Tony's diatribes. And genuine, nice guys preferred to deal with equal pussies. The suspicion led Jaxen toward the latter guess, which was becoming increasingly more obvious by the second; Tony actually cared about his well-being.

Why?

What was he planning?

Suspicion coursed Jaxen's veins with greater potency than his own intuition should allow. Call it instinct; or whatever. Jaxen called it intelligence.

Whatever Tony was, Jaxen would figure it out eventually. The knowledge may be only an enlightenment, or it may serve a greater purpose, but either way, Jaxen's ignorance would not coat their friendship for long.

He offered a handshake and a greasy smile. "Deal. I do prefer not dying."


Then he popped to his feet and slapped his hands together. "So. Let's get started, shall we? No time like the present."


He didn't wait for permission. It took a little probing, but Jaxen successfully grappled his way into the hurricane of power always churning on the edge of his world. It was like jumping into a frozen, winter's lake. The ecstasy of it stung at first, but within a heartbeat, his senses adapted to the pain and left him with the presence of greatness.

His own greatness.

His smile broadened. This was how things were meant to be.

[Claire]

Claire couldn't answer Jaxen's question even if she wanted to. She barely knew Tony herself, and he hadn't struck her as the ornery type.

His anecdote about Mumbai raised the edges of Claire's lips. She actually didn't fault him for being a douche, because it turns out, at least he was honest about it.

Claire never really added anything to the conversation. Come to think of it, she wasn't too sure why she was here at all other than exposure to another powerful witch - although clearly he didn't realize that is what he was, but given how he was dressed today, Claire guessed he might be keen on the idea. He rather fit right in, and Claire's sense of style appreciated the effort.

Jaxen popped to his feet, and Claire's brows rose in surprise. He was an ambitious thing, wasn't he? Also something Claire appreciated in men.

She glanced at Tony, amused. "At least he's honest about it."
She pulled her feet up under her and settled in to watch the show.

[Michael Vellas]

OOC:

Gah, sorry about my total lapse in this thread. I haven't been able to write Tony, too much going on, so ya'll just continue on.

I'm not sure if it's alright to do this, so correct me if I'm off, but I figure that Tony has accepted to teach Jaxen a bit about channeling, so he will have some training for however long.

I'll try to get back to TOny eventually, but might have to put him down.

Just like Poor Katya