Like a bull in a china shop - that's what Seven looks like, sitting on a too small chair at a reading table. He looks uncomfortable and on edge; he's got a pile of books spread out, most of them opened up. He's browsing through one of them now and looks utterly and completely bored, leaning his head on his hand, elbow propped on the table. He curses quietly, and goes back some pages - he wasn't paying attention.
From the paranormal sector comes a lost wearing an expensive looking tailored suit and an aura of the occult and mystery with his very unusual Mantle. On his hands he has a single book. It looks handmade with its cover made of leather and its pages, yellowed. It has leathers straps and some sort of family brazon a local would recognize belonging to the Utridge family.
Upon seeing the other lost surrounded by books, the occultist grins."Afternoon. Are you a Custodian too?" He asks as he approaches.
Seven is both relieved AND annoyed at being interrupted - those mixed emotions play clearly on the beast's face as he looks up at Ben. Seeing that it's a fellow Lost, he grunts something akin to a greeting; he's clearly not the most social creature. "No." A clipped, neutral response. "Looking for information on the mine," he adds, his voice coarse, raspy but not entirely unpleasant; that beastial charm is still there. His accent is surprising maybe - it's clearly British. The book, and its family mark, has no meaning to him. He's not a local.
The occulist arches a brow in curiosity as the man gives him a brief explanation."The mine? Are you interested in the recent event? The fire and the bell?" He asks scanning the books spread around the table.
"Seems like trouble to me," Seven explains quietly - he doesn't seem to be noisy at any given time, his voice even and solemn. He closes the book he was browsing through and adds it to the discarded pile; the books are all a bit random. Local history. Supernatural tales of the area. Things like that. "You know about it?"
"In fact, my studies led me to the mine. Me lead says there is something very important buried in a mine and I'm pondering the said mine is our mine. I'd need to go down there and check for myself. Except I'm not crazy enough to go all the way down there on my own." The midde-aged lost says before offering his black hand."I'm Benedict Utridge. Everyone insists on calling me Ben, though."
Eyeing the offered hand, after listening with rapt attention, Seven accepts it - his grip is firm and normal. Those claws are carefully avoiding any scratching. "I'm Seven," he introduces himself simply. No last name - but that's hardly rare amongst the Lost. "I'm going down. We can go together."
Ben's grisp is also firm, but something about his hand is not quite right. It lacks body warmth and the textures of the skin. Upon hearing the other lost is up to it, he grins once more."Sounds like we're both lucky today." He comments and then takes a better look at the other man in the opposite side of the table."Are you part of the Harvestmen? You look like one, if I can say."
Seven doesn't seem to NOT know what that is - but he shakes his head. "I'm not. I haven't been here long. I'm not in this... Freehold yet." He says the latter as if that concept is a whole new thing to him. "Doesn't matter. I'm going there anyway." He doesn't elaborate on why he's so eager to go there - but he looks like a fighter, so maybe he just figures if there's trouble, he might be of use.
"Okay. We can go together. But how would I be sure you're not with the enemy?" He asks looking around suspiciously."You know. A Loyalist and all. You're not bond by any pledge and could easily kill me. Or use me and leave me to death down there. It's not really that hard to immagine." He whispers while his wicked yellow eyes stare at the other man's.
There's an amused snort from Seven, at that. "Then go alone," is his simply reply - he's not falling for any attempts to get into a pledge. There's a slow, toothy and entirely unpleasant grin following this, yellow eyes meeting Ben's squarely. "I have no reason to trust you, either."
"No, you don't. Neither do I. But I really need to go down there and I'd prefer not doing it on my own. Plus. You look like the kind of guy I need." He says as he takes a seat without asking or waiting for an invitation."Bulky. Of the fighting type." He adds a moment later. The occultist himself doesn't look to be a bad fighter, actually. He has muscle and scars after all.
"Then, Thursday?" Seven asks, relaxing already. Like things have settled as far as he's concerned. "Any time you can. I'm free all day," he says with some wry humor - he looks like a guy who doesn't hold a day job that easily.
"Thrusday is just fine. It gives me time to end my researches, write down my notes and get everything else prepared. Do you have hiking and mining equipment for any reason? We'd need a pair of lights, at least." He says as he leans against the back of his chair and crosses a leg over the other in a classy way. The book with his family's blazon resting on his lap under his both hands.
"I have nothing," Seven explains matter of factly. "I don't need anything." He frowns. "Maybe rope. I can find that somewhere." He stands up, piling all the books he's taken out to return them to their nearby shelves. In the end he realises he has no idea where he took them, and instead just leaves them on one of those little carts the librarians push around, putting books back. "Where do we meet? I have no phone."
Ben watches patiently as the man moves the book around."Well. We can meet at the mine's main entrance. I think there is no way we miss each other this way. At midday, maybe?" He asks.
Seven's motions are languid, agile and smooth - that size doesn't stop him from being a quiet predator. He turns those yellow eyes back at Ben and nods once in agreement. "Midday." There's a quick but noticeably excited gleam in his eyes, as if he can't wait to do this, but it's gone almost as soon as it was there. "Till then," he says as a farewell, raising a hand before he stalks towards the stairs leading down.
Ben nods slolwy as he hands his black hand to the departing man."See you there." He murmurs and starts taking a look at the books left behind.
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