RP:In Which Hudson Teaches Emelyan Bad Dance Moves And Emelyan Teaches Hudson Some Alchemy

Summary: Hudson and Emelyan meet to "cook" their narcotic. Elisilith, sexy professor who is always in Emelyan's way (and whom Hudson recognizes as moonlighting at a dancing establishment known as THE OFFICE), is bothering them, but Hudson charms her and thus dispatches the only distraction to the task at hand. The men get to work, and Hudson teaches Emelyan some really bad dance moves and Emelyan teaches Hudson some real alchemy. Afterwards, they talk distribution, and Hudson agrees to arrange a meeting with his contacts. He also suggests involving Josleen in the chemist's as a legitimate front. Emelyan talks bigger ambitions but is constrained by the chill factor of his partner for now.

The Mage Tower

Emelyan found the chemistry to be the simplest part of the equation. If he wanted to be a small time drug dealer, with Hudson's aid, it would be particularly simple, as long as they ventured into an urban area. However, in his case, he was laying groundwork for a much larger scheme, pre empting even the creation of the product. He'd gathered everything here, all the ingredients, all the equipment. The laboratory was spotlessly clean as well... maintained with an obsession towards perfection. The environment spoke of sterility, and seemed to be in a whole different dimension from the rest of the tower. Considering the power gathered within this tower, it might even be possible. Emelyan knew much about different dimensions... more than he'd allow anyone in this world to know. If his spatiokineticism ever returned to him, this process could be made much easier, bypassing the need for the tower's facilities and magic entirely. But now, now he had an issue. And it was standing between him, and his clean laboratory. "My, my, what a clean little space you keep, Emelyan!" The patronizing tone made it all the worse. Elisilith always treated him as though he were some cute little child... always polite in the public eye, though. A natural courtesan, she'd been made quite wealthy dabbling in the politics of Larket. She was as beautiful as she was powerful, as well... long, dark hair, lustrous purple eyes, full lips, and an hourglass body to keep a man warm on a winters night. Emelyan held only a savage distaste in his eyes though, and by comparison to her honeyed words, his were in a tone that spewed bile. "Stay out of my way, witch, or I'll see you burn." "Oh! Is that anyway to talk to your fellow teachers? That hurts me so deeply!" She bent down to pinch his cheek, showing off a valley of cleavage in doing so. "But you always knew where to give a little prick to make a girl weep, mhmm?" There was a wink with the insult. Emelyan was gritting his teeth, barely holding back from blazing her face beyond recognition. She controlled him like a puppet on a string. No wonder he needed Hudson to deal with this.

Hudson is running a little late because his ride, a flatulent loaner gryphon aptly named Griff, had taken a detour to kill a family of bunnies. It had seemed no big deal at the time but it had turned into 5 minutes and then 10 as Griff had - CLASSIC GRIFF - developed a gastric issue in response and needed to make several pit stops. In any event, Hudson manages to hustle to the tower, show his pass, and lug his burlap sack of further materials into Emelyan's swanky lab environment. Dang, this kid is happening. "HOOOOly--" exhales Huds, nearly dropping the materials, he's that floored by his surroundings. His awe has to take a backseat, however, because a sultry female voice cuts through the air like a hot knife. Oh snaps, he knew that voice! And man did he know that body, well not intimately, but he's fairly certain he's seen it sans clothes at THE OFFICE on special feature night. That was a pair of boobs he was not like to forget anytime this century. And here she's addressing little man Emelyan with some authority. What a cliche -- a stripper professor. Hudson Loves It, capitalization intended. Gods know why she did that with her spare time -- there was clearly more to THE OFFICE than met the eye -- but Hudson clears his throat and throws her a charming smile. "Hey there, I don't think I've met Emelyan's colleagues yet," he rounds the room to shake her hand. "He did mention an Elisilith -- that you? -- but didn't mention that you were a smokin' hot babe. Hi. Hudson. Great admirer of your work." Oh well, on the pole, but OK, basically true. Basically. "Sorry I'm late, mate," he says to Emelyan, adding, for Elisilith's benefit, "I'm just Emelyan's lab assistant here. We had plans to start on something but my ride got delayed."

Emelyan finally gets a chance to shove past the broad when Hudson shows up, oh so timely, and offers Elisilith a handshake. He didn't want anymore details than he'd already ellucidated from Hudson's pause. For Elisilith's part, she did a double take herself. There was a flicker of recognition on her features, but she didn't know him in a professional capacity... did she? She liked not to get her personal and business lives tangled. And THE OFFICE... that was not business. "Oh, he mentioned he, did he now? He would forget the more important details." She gave that charming smile of hers, but seemed to be looking him over rather than preening at the moment. That was a good sign. "Nailed it..." Emelyan mumbled to himself, while doing busy work in the lab. He'd call out, "Hudson, leave the bag in the doorway, and I'm sure our enchantress here would be thrilled to give you a tour of the tower." With any luck, he'd be able to work in peace while Hudson turned Elisilith from thorn in his side to... well... a thorn in Hudson's side instead? He really didn't know what the best possible outcome of this scenerio was, but as long as it involved less of her childish interference and the tower's backstabbing politics, he was fine with it.

Hudson may love his girlfriend but he is a man and Elisilith's not exactly covered up where it counts, so his gaze slides downward momentarily as sometimes happens, gravitational pull of a set of D+ boobs and all that. "Already put everything together, we're good, mate," remarks Huds, his attention returning to Elisilith's, that charming smile still in place. He wants to say, Do I know you from somewhere? but he doesn't, to embarrass her in front of Emelyan would probably not improve the mood. "Yeah, apparently you're breaking glass ceilings around here, that's great," continues Huds, casually dropping a hand into his pocket. "My mum was somewhat of a pioneer herself, I think it's gotta be the hardest thing there is to be a woman sometimes..." Hudson, surprise feminist, or maybe only when it benefits him, such as right now. Unclear. In any event, Elisilith seems delighted, a flirty banter established, and does indeed - as Emelyan had suggested - propose a tour of the tower, taking them away from Emelyan. Hudson finds that it's fairly easy to talk to Elisilith - in a previous life, all he'd done was pick up women in bars, after all. It seems a riskless endeavor, even: Elisilith gives off the vibes of a woman with a situation who nonetheless soaks up compliments like a sponge. As all such women do, she comes up with an excuse for why she has to cut the tour short, and squeezes Hudson's forearm as she leaves him. That major assignment completed, Huds returns to Emelyan and locks the door behind him. "Yo," he greets the other guy and goes about washing his hands in a nearby sink. "Why is a professor here a part-time stripper at a seedy club in Cenril? I didn't bring it up with her, but that's kinda weird."

Emelyan pauses as Hudson comes back, mid pour. He turns towards him and stares in unabashed shock. "I knew you'd be useful." Surprise! A little follow up, and he'd have proof, just in case they had need of it. "Judging by her tastes, I'd bet she goes by 'ma chérie'." Boy, could he call it. Cherry, for those who weren't refined enough to speak the language of love. "With teleportation at your fingertips, and the ability to enchant yourself into a longer life and greater, lasting beauty, I have little doubt she does many such things to entertain herself. Now, on to business, she can be dealt with another time." The process was already set up. He took him through a series of goings ons through which the product was refined from its raw ingredients through several complex processes, firewalking to keep himself at a reasonable height while he explained details. Everything was precise, every explanation indicating a deeper understanding of the substance behind the chemical processes, natural and less than so. "We can virtually eliminate the odor of business, compliments of a magical tower, but an accident can still result in a lethal dose of nigh undetectable chemicals in the air. We must be ever vigilant when dealing with this process... monotony in practice is no excuse for a loss of diligence. If we blow up half the mages guild, we'll both be in a world of dung. Dying won't save us from their retribution, most like. They do know powerful necromancers aplenty."

Hudson shoots Emelyan a humored look. "Maybe a dubious skillset but thanks," he comments, his mouth twitching with the ghost of a smile at Elisilith's pseudonym. "I don't remember what it was, I can always do some field research," he adds in a tone that manages to be even drier. It's down to business after that. Huds keeps a careful distance - dude, live flames - but is otherwise focused. He makes a few suggestions via naming alchemy, wee shortcuts for the chemical process that fall in his sweet spot, but for the most part is out of his element and student, definitely not teacher. He's on board with not exploding the mages guild. "Word," is his acknowledgment of this risk. He seems to consider Emelyan, and then decides what the hey, and pulls out a spliff from his pocket. "To set the mood before we begin?" he suggests with a shrug. Even if Emelyan isn't about partaking, Huds does, in a safe area, and then returns to the task at hand in an especially mellow but reasonably focused mood. He puts on a lab coat and digs in, humming and sometimes-singing at sotte voce the words to Hollow's version of "Hotline Bling" as he works alongside Emelyan, and at the other guy's direction for the most part.

Emelyan waves off the joint. "Doesn't work on me, but be my guest." Instead, he takes out an inhaler, and takes a breath of it. What comes out of his mouth is a dark, sickly green miasma, that dissipates immediately in the air, before he pockets the inhaler. What. The. He offers no explanation, but seems mellowed out as well. There was quite a story behind that little thing, and maybe, one day Hudson would know it. Emelyan took all suggestions into consideration... there were little aspects about alchemy in this world that Hudson knew that Emelyan did not, despite his superior knowledge. Part of being a local. The process was changed, little by little as they went, improved between the two alchemists. Emelyan taught, something he was thorough and very good at, and he directed with seemingly boundless patience. When work consumed his thoughts, his mind was quiet, by compare to its usual state. This was almost meditation for him, a blessed relief from the pangs of his own super genius. No wonder the boy insisted on always 'keeping busy'. It was an addiction. He didn't take part in Hudson's little humming and musical piece, but did inquire after it. A little culture never hurt, after all. Especially with his skills on instruments... he might need to play a song sometime. Gods forbid anyone from asking him to sing, though. He did not sing... well.

Hudson has a lot of questions about Emelyan's vaping, or whatever it was he'd done just then, but those questions dissipate as the men focus their attention on the work. Without distractions - sports, women, etc. - Hudson picks up things either the first or second time. His version of "Hotline Bling" (adjusted appropriately, as cell phones aren't a thing) isn't quite the real deal, but it is passable and at least not tone deaf. Hudson explains to Emelyan that this song is the latest craze and all the bards in the dance clubs are singing it. A famous bard named Grake came up with it - has Emelyan heard of him? He thinks Grake was dating Lihanna for awhile - does Emelyan know Lihanna? What a body! They cover all sorts of territory. Huds shows Emelyan some dance moves that are supposed to go with the song but look totally dubious, like who came up with these, seriously. There's one that looks like a guy launching skeeballs, for example. Anyway. Got to have a diversion, while you're waiting for things to percolate, am I right? They've covered the whole repertoire of the bad Grake dance moves by the time the very last batch is done, and then it's time to package everything up. Huds is already thinking about next steps: "I got to arrange a meet with my connect, you want to be there, right?"

Emelyan stared dumbfounded when the moves broke out. He thought Hudson looked better with his dignity intact. No, he didn't know any of the bards... not Grake, or Lihanna... Emelyan certainly did not know many people. He knew the people he needed to see killed or otherwise removed from his way, but had no friends in Cenril. Certainly not Elisilith, though that might be one of his earliest instances of extortion in this venture. Besides the chemist supplier. Emelyan looked over at Hudson, hardly sweating the labor they'd just been through. "I will. I should acquaint you with the teleporters we'll have access to. Unfortunately, they are actively monitored, so we'll have to be careful with moving product... I might need to do it all myself, with the clearance I have. And I'll need to know your contacts. They'll need to know me, as well." For a number of reasons. "How much muscle can you gather with fifteen thousand gold in a week? We're gonna need turf control. The blue dust is going to be a hit, and I don't plan to take things slow."

Hudson is crazy at the idea of teleporters. "Whatever suits. You have some hookup, mate," he comments, still shaking his head that such things exist and he's on the periphery! He sobers up on the subject of his contact. "Yeah, I can make an introduction," he says, meeting Emelyan's eye as he washes his hands at a basin, "and ask around. Was thinking for now we would wholesale it all to other folks who handle the distro? Put the risk on them, no trail to us. I got an in with a Cenril gang lead and can organize a meet, at least for before the handover." He wonders at the idea of total vertical integration -- there'd be a bigger cut for them, but way bigger risk. Maybe not yet, he thinks, thinking of Alvina. Surely this was just a thing they'd do a few times. Well, maybe.

Emelyan generally dealt in blitzkrieg domination, total subjugation of all opposition in matters of business and war. However, he wasn't in this for himself, and himself only... nor was he the only one taking risks. He nodded to Hudson's words. "Alright. We go with your connections, start smaller. It'd be good to have allies in the future." And more knowledge of their possible enemies wouldn't hurt. "We don't have a name to our product yet anyway, but it's more pure than anything they'll ever have encountered. Safer, too... arguably. Emelyan did have Yukiko to think about, as well. He was used to fighting wars on his own... but this world was different. The stakes were different. Hells, he was stuck looking like a seven year old child, as if that weren't enough indication that a change of mentality was in order.

Hudson can already see his morality slipping but is momentarily soothed by Emelyan's being on board with a smaller operation. Surely they're not getting in over their head and well on their way to being narcotics kingpins! It's fine. "For sure, I'll tell my girl to organize a meet," he says, wiping his hands on a towel and eyeballing Emelyan. The meet would probably make sense to have at THE OFFICE, where less eyes would see all involved. Huds'll have to break that news later, and also figure out a plan to get a dude who looks like a seven year old child inside a strip club. #PretendFatherhood He salutes Emelyan and pulls on his coat. "Want me to send a note to Firefly here or to you, Emelyan?" is his last question.

Emelyan would clean his own hands thoroughly before taking a small letter out of his pocket. One of his pockets. His ridiculously many, hidden pockets. "Send messages to Firefly at this address. Good habit to get into." It was also a good habit to have an aviary in a world as technologically starved as this, but perhaps in time... or, a teleporter, if he ever got THAT kind of money. For now, though, few others than the Mages Guild could hope to maintain such a thing. The wealthiest in the world had them. Emelyan used to be able to fold space as he pleased, but lost that ability in this world. Meddlesome deities. It could come back, though, who knows? Something caught Emelyan's attention. "Your girl? You're not referring to Alvina, are you?" Somehow, he didn't wish to face her disapproval.

Hudson palms the letter and tucks it into his pocket. "I'll get you a similar address for me," he comments, making a mental note to get a PO box somewhere, on the offchance that Alvina gets a jealous streak and starts going through his mail. On Emelyan's query about his girl, Huds is quick to correct, "Noooo no no no no. She doesn't know anything and gods willing never will. My girl meaning Eleanor, you'll meet her. She's well connected in Cenril. And uh, super hot, so also incidentally Alvina hates her." He winces here. "Not that anything's happened. It's just friendly." He cants his head and eyes Emelyan in the knowing way. "But, mate, you know how girlfriends can be. Eleanor is... do not disclose her existence to girlfriend hot. For your info, so you don't go repeating my mistakes." Said from one man to another. "That reminds me, one last thing before I go. I thought it might be helpful to have someone at the chemist's we can trust, not that guy you uh, don't get on so well with, so it all looks legit? Josleen seemed keen on a job, also like she knows you?"

Emelyan blinks. "The chemist could be a liability, but I'd not be keen to get Josleen mixed up in this. She was recently running for mayor, when... well, a catastrophe occurred. I lost a lot of money in wine that day." He'd wondered what had become of those elections. Too much on his plate to keep up with every detail. "It all depends on how much she has to know, and how willing she'd be able to look aside. Gods know, that woman has connections. I'd not have the likes of her friends on our backs. The silver that sits atop Frostmaw's throne has a strong thirst for justice, and I've no fondness for fending off dragons. Especially the sort that can take on superhuman forms, with an array of legendary weapons and powerful underlings at their command. I'm a merchant, a dirty, backstabbing, and dangerous merchant of illicit goods, but still just a merchant. Does the girl even want for money?"

Hudson scratches his chin, which could have used a closer shave, as Emelyan works through the pros and cons of Josleen. For him, it had been as simple as: he needs somebody to make his girl look the other way. Which is exactly what he does at the conclusion of Emelyan's evildoer monologue. Artists, not murderers! Huds focuses on the question asked, making eye contact. "To be honest it sounds like it, though she won't say so directly," he answers. "Her man's not exactly raking it in right now, and her dad's cut her off or something. I told her you happened to know the chemist and could put in a word personally. In terms of looking the other way... let's just say she made a comment or two, and... I trust her more than the chemist. ... I just wouldn't be surprised if she brings it up if you bump into her."

Emelyan grimaces at the prospect, but it would be nice to have more people in place for fallbacks, among other things. "Alright, Josleen is fine... but she's on your watch, and your liability to manage. What she knows, and doesn't, is up to you. I'll go along with your intuition on the matter. You seem to have a way with women, after all." Something he's never had, to be sure. "The chemist will be... looking for help around the shop, appropriately." Emelyan could never gauge well who he could and could not trust, because his usual methods included trusting no one at all. That was where he relied on Hudson the most... someone who could dance around his paranoia and make sure he wasn't building castles on pillars of salt and sand. "If she brings it up with me directly, I'll figure out what to say in the moment that it occurs."

Hudson gives Emelyan a thumbs-up. In a way he and Josleen had each other circled like cagey tigers. She needed the money but not the shame of being associated with such an operation. He needed the money but not the drama from his girl. Mutually assured self-destruction. "I know you will, mate. You're a rockstar," says Huds, clapping the guy on the back with a light hand. He is built like a 7 year old after all. Huds takes a small parcel off of the counter and holds it up for Emelyan - inside is a sample that he'd packed during their work, for pricing in the wholesale market. "Will send you a note about this," he says before shrugging on his coat and putting it into his pocket. He holds up a hand as he goes. "Peace."

Part of the The Dust Up In Cenril Arc