venice ♔ the piano keys are black & white but they sound like a million colors in your mind

[romanticidal]

♬ Spider's Web - Katie Melua

WHO || Rafael Giovanni, Isabella Alessandro, Hiro, Kat, Gar, Buffy, Myri [closed]
WHAT || Kat, Gar, Buffy, and Myri spend the night at Rafael's.   Nothing of consequence happens at all.
WHERE || Rafael's villa, an hour outside Venice, Italy
WHEN || July 6-7, late night.
HOW || Actionspam, NO TAG ORDER

After returning from her interrogation date? outing with Rafael, Buffy was ushered back into the girls' shared rooms, where Gar and Kat and Myri have set up shop. Myri and Gar both spent most of that time on the phone: Gar with Wynn and Myri with Finnick, and Rafael dropped by to wish all the girls a good night before retiring and leaving them alone with Buffy.

As the household settles into sleep, maybe now is the time they can get some serious snooping done... 

Comments

[slay]

Nothing. [ it's said quickly to kat in an almost sheepish way. then as if to cover it up by making it sound like she was addressing myri, she continues. ] I mean, not much. Isabella's his manager, hence the serious spaz attack every time we mentioned him signing with Nova.

And he really didn't like the idea that we'd talked to Angelo about Shadowkind operating in Italy. [ she stops, turning away to lower her towel, thinking. ] ... Actually, the Shadowkind thing in general seemed kinda personal. What do we know about Rafael's background? Where he's from, his family. That stuff. [ because if he were the harder to notice kind of Shadowkind, like her or Myri, who liked human, and he'd had a bad dealing experience with Nova ... ]

1/2

[shootfirst]

[ kat pulls her legs up underneath her as she sits up straight at attention ] Oo, me, me! [ she taps her tablet, and then looks over at gar's speculative expression ] What, did you think I spent all this time playing Sudoku?

[ she waves the tablet a bit to indicate it ] Surprisingly little on this guy. And not because my hacker-fu wasn't strong. I'm talking suspiciously little.

[ she grins abruptly ] Not that that really stopped me.

[ she pulls up a document ] He's been working for Angelo since at least 2003, graduated from high school in 1999 with less than impressive marks, lived in Venice since 1995, blah blah blah... [ she stabs the screen with dramatic effect ] First began attending school in 1986... as a high schooler. And then changed schools at least three times. I mean, the names are all spelled slightly different, but basic information's the same, so I'm 95% sure it was the same guy.

[ she scans the doc and then seems to find what else she was looking for ] Oh yeah! And his parents were Lucrezia and Elorn Giovanni, though I can't find any actual birth records. And his birthday seems to list a different year almost everywhere I found him. I found funeral dates for his mom from 2000... and his dad from 1996, although it lists his name as Elorn Cilriond-Giovanni.

[ she looks up ] And that's as far as I got. Oh! And that he was Isabella's legal guardian from 2002 to 2004, when she must have turned 18.

[rationalizes]

[ gar's leaning against the window, arms folded ] If he were Shadowkind, it might be difficult for him to maintain his status as a performer in this country. I could see why he may have concealed his records or heritage - and it would explain Angelo's long term interest in him.

[slay]

You could at least pretend to act surprised. You know, I go through all this effort puzzling this all out and you're just like ooh, all this research stuff, and I worked really hard. [ she pouts. okay it wasn't exactly hard work in the real sense, because spending time with rafael? not so work-like. ] It's very anti-climactic. [ whatever. she's over it. she soldiers on. ]

So, that settles it. I mean, he looks human, and based on what you're telling me, he probably just came through the veil in '86, right? [ she folds her arms over her chest, considering them. ] It wasn't too hard for us to figure this out. If Nova did, that'd explain why they're all bad blood-y now. They probably tried to offer him the same deal they gave Angelo. Might have even tried to persuade him by threatening to out him.

[rationalizes]

[ gar gives her a sympathetic smile ] I think you've done wonderfully, Buffy. And most importantly of all, perhaps you've opened a real line of communication with him that might come to our advantage if you're correct.

[ she looks thoughtful for a moment ] It's possible, of course, that he's second generation Shadowkind. It may have been his parents who traveled through the Veil.

[shootfirst]

And hey, it's not like I spoilered everything. All I figured out basically was that he's really, really old. [ yes this is kat's idea of really really old, deal with it ]

[witchwoman]

[Oh. Right. Business. Myri listens intently to Buffy and Kat's news.] But if Rafael is Shadowkind, could we not just explain that we are as well? [She and Buffy, at least, and Kat and Gar could explain that they were allies.]

Knowing you are not alone is the most important thing.

[slay]

Thought about it. [ a beat, she adds contemplatively, ] Really wanted to. [ she shakes her head. she's being all ~feels~ about it and it's clear but at least myri distracted her from objecting that he's not that old to kat ... ]

Do you think I should? [ she looks thoughtful on the border of cringe-y as she directs the question at kat and gar. no offense myri, she trusts you, which is why you've now got her second-guessing herself. it's just not something she comes forward with. most don't even know she did come through the veil, just because she avoids talking about it in general. ] I mean, we do have the whole line of communication thing going, and maybe if I opt for the understanding Shadowkind route, he'll make with the tell-all about what Nova's trying to do to them.

1/2

[shootfirst]

It can't hurt, right? I mean the worst that's gonna happen is Isabella runs us off the property with a broom, but kinda expecting to wake up to that tomorrow anyway.

[rationalizes]

[ gar, y u look so down ] It... may be one of our last best chances on this mission.

[witchwoman]

[Myri sees that look, Gar. And you know how she's prone to worry with a capital W.]

It was just a suggestion. Do you have something else in mind, Gar?

[rationalizes]

I just meant... [ she flushes slightly ] I... I spoke with Wynn. And he's rather, er, unsatisfied with the state of the mission.

In fact, he's ordered me to have you all return to the castle for a debriefing. I fear he... means to send more experienced Knights to deal with all this.

[slay]

[ buffy's entire demeanor deflates at that. they failed. they're being written off as failures. by wynn. wynn who wasn't even here. indignation takes over for her hurt pride and distress. ]

No! He can't -- [ she looks at kat. ] Can he do that? We're doing the best we can. What would his more experienced Knights be doing better? [ she wants to throw in scathing remarks about thomas and lan but she bites her tongue, blinking back frustration. ]

We just need more time.

[witchwoman]

[Myri's mouth opens, then closes. Does everyone remember how she suddenly had a backbone in that bar in New Orleans when everyone was blabbing about their mission? Yeah, that girl is about to show back up.]

It isn't a matter of time. [She stands from the bed and looks at each of them.] Or experience. We've learned a great deal since leaving the castle. He can't deny that. [She lets out a heavy sigh.]

I don't mean to say that we should ignore an order, but we very well can't sneak off in the middle of the night without rising a great deal of suspicion. So we have the night, yes?

[She turns to Buffy.] Go talk to him. Perhaps bring Sir Gar? She can be very reasonable and might be able to help explain what we know and how we can help. Sir Kat and I can try to find more in the house. If we're caught again, at least we know nothing is lost since we will be forced to leave in the morning.

[It's only then that she realizes that she's just sort of... taken charge of the conversation and pulls back into herself slightly.]

1/2

[shootfirst]

[ w/e kat is right there with you, myri. she sits up on her knees, looking pissed and feeding off the girl's monologue ] She's totally right. I mean this is an artifact people haven't been able to find for how long? I think we're making hella good headway... and we're finally really getting the ball rolling now. He can't yank that out from under us!

[ she slips off the bed and grabs myri by the elbow ] C'mon. We're going to go find some damn clues to rub right in Wynn's face when we get back there.

2/2

[rationalizes]

[ gar still looks a tad bit hesitant, because SOMEONE IS THE MISSION LEADER HERE GUYS and feeling a little responsible for everything, but then she nods and looks at Buffy ] Of course. No time to lose.

[slay]

[ the look myri gets is a proud mama one because omfg gurl you so bomb when you take charge. it's becoming a thing, this supportive myri giving people strength thing. and not just magically.

she just gives a nod of confirmation to myri and kat, then makes a beeline for the door, pulling it open and anticipating gar will follow. ]

Stalking him to his room? Why not. It's not like he'll be able to say it's the weirdest thing I've done tonight, that's for sure.

[witchwoman]

[She smiles at Buffy and ducks her head slightly. There's only a small amount of bashful pride before she turns towards Kat.]

Shall we?