counterfeit [se]

It wasn't poison of course, the alchemist not having that particular ability yet. And so, he downed the amber liquid easily in one swallow.

[say]"You say us as if you're not just as much of a pretender as I am here."[/say] Remi remarked with a light scoff. Much as they might look and sound like they'd been birthed here, both he and the cook were imposters in this world and would always be. Or so it felt like, most of the time.

[say]'Seems like a fairly lousy illusion."[/say] The alchemist noted dryly. [say]"No use making it more complicated than it needs to be."[/say] An isolated Governor was an easier lie to maintain than one who had a daughter who should be running about. And if not, that only raised more questions: where was she, who was she, and so on.

Laughing, Saiden shrugged. [say]"Speak for yourself. I got a position on the Ark and everything."[/say] He tapped his nose knowingly and dropped his voice to a feigned whisper. [say]"People in Torchline don't care who you are or where you're from so much as what you can do for them."[/say] Still, he sounded more than a bit pleased at how well he'd integrated into life here.

Snorting, he nodded in agreement. [say]"Not all illusionists are created equal."[/say] Still, his tone indicated that he conceded the point. [say]"I always thought it was more likely the Governor was a figurehead, one propped up by the more prominent captains."[/say] It was just a theory, and that uncertainty bled into his voice.

Remi offered the cook a slightly disbelieving and unimpressed stare. If the reports from Raza were true, what Saiden was saying wasn't. Still, he hardly care. The alchemist had proved his usefulness to most of the right people and was well on his way to making roads with the rest.

[say]"I wouldn't be surprised if that were true."[/say]. Dead, alive, a puppet, or a mastermind. None of it would be surprising. That was the benefit of always having your expectations wildly low.

Saiden just smiled at Remi's unimpressed look. Whistling, the cook glanced over his shoulder and flagged the bartender, holding up a finger for some beer. Turning back to face the alchemist, the Hali's smile turned into a full-blown grin when the other man agreed with Saiden's assessment. [say]"Perhaps we'll find out in a week."[/say] Or perhaps it would be a moot point in a week.

As the beer arrived, he sipped it thoughtfully. [say]"What were you crafting earlier?"[/say] It came out with a great deal of interest, and he stared directly at Remi. The cook's posture might've been relaxed, but his eyes were sharp as he regarded the alchemist.

Saiden, for whatever wit he possessed, seemingly couldn't take a hint. Raising a brow as the sailor asked his question again, the alchemist's green gaze simply regarded him with growing disinterest. [say]"As I said before, I'm not sure that's any of your business."[/say] Neice or not, Remi was absolutely in no state of mind to drudge up the past with a complete stranger. Though it wasn't the same for the sailor apparently, blood relations meant nothing to the alchemist. Saiden hadn't known Aoife, and it wasn't Remi's place to help fill the voids that Saiden might be looking for.

Finding nothing he really wanted from Saiden, the alchemist decided to leave the man to his drink. Standing up and sliding in his chair, he simply gave the sailor a curt nod before making his way back onto the sands and towards his wagon.

~FIN