the_campus | Please don't bite the newbie!

I find that rather... difficult to believe.

[Vulpes stands his ground, meeting the woman's gaze with his own cold stare.]

None of it.

[He doesn't like feeling left in the dark, particularly not on something this important.]

Do you claim to be a friend of the Legion?

[His stare was ice and she absolutely does not care, nor blink or look away. Instead she smiles again.]

I'm not a foe of the Legion. Caesar has presented an interesting view of how he wants to shape the Mojave, though I have to admit, the benefits to me are limited. Of course there's the usual fame, gratitude, what have you, but I have my eye on something else.

[Her replies may be vague, but she does pronounce 'Caesar' correctly]

[That smile takes him aback again, causing his frown to deepen. How peculiar, to have someone smile while he's staring them down. Then again, Vulpes is certainly getting the impression that this woman is anything but ordinary.]

The benefits are rather straightforward. When we seize control of the Mojave, our friends will survive and flourish, while our enemies will die.

[Vulpes would not recommend being an enemy of the Legion. It never ends well.]

But I'll humor you. What do you have your eye on?

[Her smile's gone from mischievous to downright wicked. What she was about to do was both extremely foolish and potentially deadly, but she'd never get another chance like this.]

This.

[Lightning fast, Sibyll was pressed up against the object of her bizarre fixation, her hands on the sides of his face, her lips pressed against his.]

[Vulpes is so startled by suddenly being grabbed and kissed that it takes him a few moments to fully comprehend what's happening before he can react. At that point, he puts his hands on Sibyll's shoulders and shoves her forcefully away, and follows through with a vicious backhand to her face. How dare this woman presume that she could behave in such a manner?]

Filthy profligate. I wouldn't recommend trying that again.

[She was distracted enough that the blow hit home, knocking her off balance and bringing her to her knees. Despite all that, she still held her head high as she pulled herself up to her feet, her tongue snaking out to lip at a cut on her lips. Once standing again, she fixed him with another brazen stare]

You wanted to know.

I didn't ask for a practical demonstration.

[Now he watches the woman warily, displeased with the uncertainty over what she'll do next. Just why had Caesar given his Mark to her? Why is she special?]

Dare I ask why?

Why? For starters, you're certainly very easy on the eyes and a magnetic voice to boot. Perhaps there was something about your very dramatic, very bloody entrance into my life. Maybe I also enjoy the challenge. After all, a woman chasing after a man, a very important one at that, in the Legion?

[She drifts close then away as she talks, ready to dance back if he tries to strike again]

[Vulpes doesn't move, not about to be intimidated by a woman. Still, he is prepared to hit her again if she tries getting too close once more.]

Unfortunately for you, I have no intentions of feeding your ego.

[A pretty face isn't going to sway him so easily. Especially not one belonging to a profligate.]

[She reaches out again towards him, but pulls away before actually trying to touch him. He'd probably just try to break her arm.]

What is it you want then?

[Dark eyes widening, Sibyll searches his expression for any additional hints that might not come out in words.]

What do I want?

[He quirks a brow, his eyes following her movements just in case she has any other "bright" ideas.]

I want to return to the Fort so that I can resume serving Caesar. There's little of use I can do here.

[Vulpes thinks of some of the people he's met thus far, and shakes his head slightly.]

There's nothing to be done about the degenerates here. They may be just as wicked and debased as those in the Mojave, but they're also better equipped.

[She dares to draw up quite close to him, but refrains from trying anything on him again. She's watching him just as intently as he's watching her.]

But you're not at the Fort, and it doesn't seem like there's an easy way back. How long have you been here?

[Again, Vulpes refuses to move. To do so would imply that the woman has power over him. Of course, that would be preposterous.]

It has been... nearly two months now.

[He tries not to think about what Caesar must think. If time is flowing normally back home, everyone would either presume him dead, or a traitor.]

You mentioned meeting with Caesar. What have you done for the Legion?

Let's see. I blew up the bunker underneath the Fort that would have potentially caused a problems come the battle for Hoover Dam. Then I killed House for him. Now I'm currently in talks with the Boomers about whether or not they'll aid the Legion during the battle. Hmm... what else have I done?

I taught that Decanus...what was his name... Severus? Taught him how to both to deactivate frag mines and make some of his own. I assume he passed that knowledge on. Oh, that howitzer Lucius mentioned is also fixed.

You asked me to keep safe an informant of yours from the Omertas. Funnily enough, she didn't realize she was passing information onto the Legion. I didn't bother to tell her otherwise. I thought it might put a kink in your plans.

Fought in the arena a couple of times, too. Some of you all seemed to like that, particularly when I was fighting one of Antony's dogs in my underwear. But, really, I did that more to piss Otho off more then anything else.

[After she finishes recounting, she gives him a broad smile.]

Need more convincing?

[Vulpes listens to the entire explanation with the same scowl, though the corner of his mouth twitches slightly when she mentions fighting Antony's dogs in the arena in her underwear. But all in all, if she's being honest, that's quite an impressive resume of accomplishments. She's mentioned several people by name, and even knows about Martina. It's doubtful a woman would know all of that out of the blue, not to mention her ownership of that Mark.]

If you are honest about these things, then I will admit to being impressed.

[But then a memory tickles at the back of his mind.] ...I spoke to another woman a few weeks back. She claimed to be a courier working for Mr. House, but you've just claimed to have killed him. Peculiar.

Another courier? [Her expression darkens. There was another one, one she would eventually find and destroy, completing her revenge but...]

A 'she'? Can't be the one I'm looking for, then. And you say she's also working for House? But I most definitely killed him. It. Whatever that thing was that called itself 'House'. [Now sheer disgust crosses her features, remembering that thing could barely even be called human any longer.]

I could show you the obituary if you want. Got sent to my Pip-Boy the moment I destroyed him.

[Vulpes notes the look of disgust on her features, and silently approves. Yes, signs do seem to point to this woman being genuine, though he still finds it difficult to believe for the mere fact that she's a woman, and most members of the fairer sex don't find their way of life particularly... appealing.]

If you would.

[He would always prefer to see for himself when possible.]

[With a shrug, she obliges, pressing a few buttons. After a second, she holds her wrist out to him, letting him look over the glowing green screen.]

I imagine even after all of this, you're still not going to trust me, are you?

[He grabs her wrist, peering at the Pip-Boy screen curiously. There's no way to be sure that she didn't program it to say a certain thing. Still, Vulpes is definitely intrigued by all of this. He starts pressing buttons on the device, wanting to see what else might be revealed.]

I don't trust easily.

[She lets him, as there's nothing on there that she feels the need to keep private. She used it mostly to monitor her biometrics, keep random notes that may come in handy and its mapping functions. If she had any notes on Joshua Graham on there, well, that would just be even more amusing for him to find.]

I don't imagine you would.

[She takes the chance to lean in closer him as he scrolls through the Pip-Boy to make it easier for him to read.]

[Vulpes' attention ends up moving toward the map rather than her notes. He glances around at her discovered locations, noting a few places that he's never been to personally. This is quite the handy device, and appeals to Vulpes sense of curiosity over technology. As a frumentarius, he needs to be able to hack terminals... so he's read his fair share of science books and magazines.]

[During his examination of the map, he points to the area marked Nellis.]

You truly managed to visit the Boomers while remaining in one piece?

It wasn't easy. Wouldn't be surprised Caesar sent me instead of one of you as he'd miss me less if I got blown up.

But I'm apparently rather resistant to death and I made it in. [She finishes with a wry smile.]

Caesar trusted you a great deal, it seems.

[Even if he had thought a Legionary could make it past the bombardment, there were always doubts about whether the Boomers would be willing to negotiate with one of their own. Sending an outsider would be a wise decision... like everything else Caesar does. There could never be anyone else as clever as Caesar.]

[After a few more moments of examination, he releases the Courier's wrist and takes a step back.]

Has he promised you anything in particular for your service?

[He knows what the woman said she has her eye on, but... there's no reason she could actually be expecting that, is there?]

Like I said, the usual. Prestige, wealth, eternal gratitude. I'd like to think he's smart enough to leave me as a free woman. Trying to enslave me would be very... dangerous to the Legion as a whole.

[It was not news to her that some thought her to be insane. Her quest to utterly obliterate anyone even remotely related to getting her shot in the head proved that. But if you really wanted to see Sibyll in a destructive frenzy, try betraying her and slapping a slave collar around her neck.]

But if you're asking if he actually promised you to me, then no. But neither did he say I wasn't allowed to try.

[She dares to reach out and gently touch his cheek again.]

The Legion knows how to treat its allies.

[While it's unprecedented for a woman to aid the Legion in such important ways, Vulpes is also confident that Caesar would know how to treat her if she remains true to him and succeeds in her missions. An asset now can be an asset later. And the NCR is a big enough pest that such vital assistance to defeating them should certainly be handsomely rewarded.]

Hm. I highly doubt he would expect you to try.

[Vulpes snatches Sibyll's wrist after her fingers touch his cheek and lowers her hand away from his face. Knowing how important she is to Caesar prevents him from outright hitting her again.]

And I must decline. I would hate for you to lose any... motivation for assisting the Legion.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject