So is this a non-smoking joint or what?

Absynthe walked into the cafe looking for a quiet place to relax for a moment. New to the city, she did not want to return home just yet, but she also did not feel in the mood to socialize with a large number of people. Making her way to the clerk with a steady an determined stride, she ordered a simple black coffee.

Cup in hand, she turned to find a seat. As she passed the woman sitting at the pc, the distince smell of cloves caught her attention. Absynthe took a seat near by, but not too close. Eyes closed, she took a moment to savor the warmth of the cup in her hand. Calmly she said, " Cloves, that is an intriguing choice" Only then did Absynthe open her eyes, revealing their unusual color. She looked at the woman with vague interest.

Pak had become quite involved in her aimless searching and only half heard the voice. What registered with the word 'cloves', this caused her to put the cigarette in her mouth and attempt to take a drag. Damned, it wasn't lit, she'd forgotten. She scowled accusatorily at the unlit clove as she took it out of her mouth. That was when she realized someone else had spoken.

Turning to face the voice Pakpao immediately noticed the other woman's eyes. Her own light blue eyes were extreamly unusual for an Asian. Knowing that left her pre-disposed to notice other unique eyes.

She shrugged in a non-committal manner as she responded.

"They're better when they're lit."Â?

Absynthe watched with some amusement as the woman attempted to smoke an unlit cigarette. " Indeed, certainly more effective" She looked at the woman for a moment. Certainly an interesting mix.

Deciding that her curiosity had been satisfied, she looked down at the few shopping bags she had brought with her. Selecting the one she wanted, she pulled out a book and set it on the table in front of her. After a brief moment of consideration, she reached into her purse and pulled out a small silver lighter and tossed it to the woman. With a nod in the direction of the clerk she said, "What is he going to do, tell you to put it out?"

Pak almost smiled, one corner of her mouth quirked upwards in amusement. Far too many health nuts out there who would give her hell for even holding an unlit cig and here this gal was giving her a lighter. That put her a notch up in Pak's book.

After giving a bland look at the clerk and making a derisive sound she took the offered accessory and lit up. Deep drag, ah nicotine, she was a bit better now. Her empty espresso cup would serve as an ash tray.

"Thanks, I needed that."Â?

She leaned forward to return the lighter and then realized she wasn't being nice.

"Did you want one? I hate to get thrown out of places alone."Â?

Absently her eyes wandered to the book, trying to read the title, it was a habbit.

Taking her lighter and replacing back into her purse she replied, " I thank you, but no. I do not smoke." After a brief pause and a small grin, " It destroys the brain."

Noticing the attention being given to her book, Absynthe held it up so that it could be seen. " A History of Russian Politics and Influentual People. It was written by an American" Absynthe knew how to soften her Russian accent so that her origins were undetectable. However these days she rarely bothered. This was one of those days where she didn't bother. " It amuses me."

"Destroys the brain? Well that might explain a lot."Â?

Well it might, but probably not as she'd always had her mood swings and she wasn't any slouch in the intelligence department.

"But I eat a lot of tuna, so that must balance things out."Â?

Something about this woman was off. For starters she made Pak feel -young-, very few people could do that. She found that disconcerting.

"American's are an odd lot."Â?

[I] She refrained from saying Europeans or Westerners not wanting to offer unnecessary offense, but Pak did agree, with the comment. She'd read a few histories of Siam written by foreigners, often you wound up with an odd spin on things./I]

"How many glaring errors have you found?"Â?

" Six, but then I have only read the back cover."

Absynthe looked at the book with an expression of mild amusement. it appeared to be one of the more accurate books that she had found. Though, there would certainly be a few limitations.
I seriously doubt that I am in it

Her eyes once again found the familiar face on the front cover. It had been the collage of ' influentual people' that had caught her attention. There off to the side was the image of Rasputin. Unlike her maker, she had never taken that blatant of a role in history.

And I was always careful to cover my tracks.

Still, she had always wondered what had prompted him to move out into the open. Remembering the other woman, she indicated the book,

" Apparently, Ivan the Terrible was terrible for his bad reforms. The dementia, paranoia, and violent rages had nothing to do with it."

The corner or her mouth lifted slightly at the thought. Mercury was still one of her favorites.

Pak laughed and took a deep drag on her clove. She was careful to blow the smoke away from the woman as she dropped some of the ashes in her espresso cup.

Taking a closer look at the cover she caught sight of Rasputin, and understood what was being said.

"It's a big country but two people like that... there still isn't enough room is there?"Â?

Her Russian history was weak, but even on her shaky foundation Pak knew better than to have two power hungry people in one country at the same time.

"I've always wondered if he was as... out there as I've read. That whole history written by the victors and all."Â?

Absynthe debated briefly on how much information to divulge. IT was certainly not wise to give away how much she knew personally. After appearing to give the matter some thought she said,

" He was certainly an eccentric by all accounts. Many say that he was an occultist. Still others say he was extremely loyal to his friends. Or followers, depending on how you wish to view him. Either way, it was not by the Czar's orders that he was killed. So, you can make of that what you will I suppose."

She looked again at the book. Curiosity about his last days had plagued her for many years. Absynthe had all but resigned herself to the fact that she would never know what really happened.

" Needless to say he made quite an impression on Russia."

Pak almost believed that she was just a passionate student of Russian history. Nothing wrong with that. Something in the phrasing made her wonder if there wasn't something more. But she didn't press, she'd just keep her ears open.

"I'll admit Russian history isn't my forte but I could have sworn I'd read that the Czar did order his death. But I've been wrong before, not often but it happens."Â?

The cig was almost spent, that irritated her, she took a last drag and stubbed it out. She'd find another here in a second or two but wasn't in a hurry to push someone else's good graces.

"It makes some sense that Ivan wouldn't be too keen to keep him around. If I remember right he was quite influential and Ivan doesn't sound like a guy who'd appreciate competition."Â?

Absynthe looked at the woman for a moment, she had to hide her suprise at the statement. Deciding that the woman before her simply did not know her history, or at least Russian history, Absynthe let the statement go. She smiled, more to herself than anything. Perhaps the this one's intuition served her better than she knew.

" I think you misunderstand me. Ivan died many years before Rasputin made an appearance at the Czar's court."

She took a sip of her coffee. Being new to the town, Absynthe did not believe it would be wise to create too many waves amongst the locals just yet. She would need to find the best way to continue.

" The Czar in Rasputin's time was Nicholas Romanov. Even in Russia we value honor. No matter what else might have happened, the Czar would have found it difficult to order the death of a man who helped his son."

Shaking her head with an expression that said she was embarrassed that such idiots were Russian, " Besides we know who killed Rasputin and what had happened. The drunken fools told a passing policman"

Pak shook her head and laughed at herself as she lit another clove.

"I think I said Russian history wasn't my strong suite, maybe I should brush up."Â?

She did not like being wrong but it wasn't the other woman's fault. She'd known she was out of her depth and didn't think. She'd been hoping some caffeine and conversation would change her mood, but it wasn't, not much any way.

She took a long drag at the mention of honor. Pak had a few issues with honor and the interpretation of honor, but she did not want to deal with that now. So she hid it with a question.

"So what did happen to him?"Â?

Absynthe considered the question. Obviously it was best to stick to the mortals interpretation of events.

" Most of the story comes from the conspiritors tales of what happened. Even they admit to being more than a little intoxicated by then end of the evening."

Absynthe took another sip of her coffee. " It began with a plan to lure Rasputin over and then poison him. Apparently the poison was not working fast enough, because they shot him."

After waiting a moment for the last statement to sink in, she continued. " The first shot apparently did not kill him, or so his murderers claimed. They said he was able to get up and stagger out of the door. he was pursued and shot twice more."

It was always this point in the story that made Absynthe shake her head in disgust and disbelief. " It is at the point that they told the officer, who had come to investigate the sounds of gunfire, who they were and that they had killed Rasputin."

Another pause for effect and a sip of coffee. " After bringing him inside, they apparently decided that three bulet wounds and poison were not enough. He had received severe damage to the face. It was claimed that he was beaten with a dumbell."

And now, the finally. " He was then thrown into the river for good measureand disposal of the evidence. When he was found later, the position of his hands indicated that he had tried to free himself before the cold and water got to him."

Absynthe knew that those injuries alone would not have been enough to kill Rasputin. The cold and water would not have done it either. Something more must have happened. She had her theories. Chief among them was the thought that the doctor or clergy actually did the job later. Either way, she did not hold out much hope that Rasputin was still alive.

That was one hell of a way to go. Seemed funny that it would take so much to kill any one man, but they could be an odd lot, humans that is. But today it was hard for Pak to keep her mind on any one thing, she was in nine different places at once, maybe she should have gone looking for a bar. As it was the clove was more or less a lifeboat as she forced herself to concentrate.

"Determined lot weren't they? Seems like you're not quite sold on that version of events though."Â?

Why they hadn't just thrown him in the river in the first place was beyond Pak. Of course drowning was not uncommon when she had been growing up. Then having been to Russia, once in the dead of winter she could imagine that the shock and freezing water would have polished of most people quite effectively.

She pondered the question. Of course she did not entirely believe the tale. She did have uncommon knowledge about Rasputin which gave her a reason not to. The real issue in this case was answering the question without giving too much away. This woman was clearly far too intuitive for her own good.

" No I don't believe it entirely. There seems to be a few too many unanswered questions. Not to mention a large amount of stupidity on the part of the conspirators."

Absynthe drank a bit more of her coffee. " Still I am sure you have tales of mystics and intrigue in your own country as well." She neither knew nor cared really what nationality the woman was. It would be a change of topic and serve its purpose.

"A lot of history is Monday morning quarter backing."Â?

Of course Pak didn't really like football, but that was be side the point.

She also didn't mind the change of subject and right now it didn't strike her has unusual. History wasn't always great late night conversation (or midday conversation depending on who you were) and politics were usually considered rude.

"Every country does, power does funny things to people no matter who, when or where."Â?

She'd not been asked where she was from or for an example and so none was offered. Uncertain if it was herself or the other, as yet unnamed woman, Pakpao was off balance. Not something she approved of and something that either inspired complete recklessness or a great deal of caution. Tonight was caution.

Absynthe looked at the women. She was careful to keep her features neutral to mask the quizical expression that would normally be there. She was not sure what coins on Monday mornings had to do with anything. Perhaps this one smoked more than cloves?

She was now bored with the book she had on the table. Absynthe was placing the book into the bag when the other woman's last statement caught her attention. Straightening up, she brought a music magazine out a placed it in front of her. " Power effects all, but how it effects is what is truly interesting. Some become worse than they were, and some become better. Leads me to believe that there might be something inate within the individual."

OK, back on firmer ground more theoretical less historical. OK sure it had to do with people and Pak often preferred her computers but at least there would be no more odd Russian rulers to worry about.

"So power in itself is not good or bad but forces the individual to come to terms with their own nature, the perfect looking glass."Â?

Yes that was precisely what had been said but for Pak it needed some clarifying.

"I'm not sure I like that idea. I think that the individual can influence power as much as power can influence them, but it's so hard to tell."Â?

Absynthe considered the thought for a moment. She tended to be one to played devil's advocate, whether she agreed or not. It was always interesting and amusing to see how firmly people held to their ideas when presented with plausible oposition.

"Hmm, that is an interesting thought. Though whatever action you take to influence power, whether it is to share it among those you trust or hoard it for yourself. it would still be a step you took a decision you made."

Absynthe drank her coffee to hide the slight smile that played across her lips. Mind games were always her favorite, well except for chess which was mind game all its own.

"Power merely provides a wider spectrum of opportunities than you would normally have. It grants a different level of freedom to do more of what you wish. It is you who decides what to do with it."

OOC: Careful with that looking glass or I might have to bring up a certain slayer of windmills.

"Precisely why it is hard to tell, it become a 'chicken or the egg' type of situation."Â?

Pak began to toy with her pack of cloves. She wasn't ready for another but needed something to do with her hands. That was probably part of the reason she enjoyed origami so much, however she didn't have any paper handy.

"There really is no way to tell how you'd handle things before coming into power. And of course, you also have to wonder about people gaining power by hiding their true agenda. Which warps thing even further."Â?

She knew her thought had weaknesses and would be the first to admit it. It was just an odd streak of idealism, that surfaced from time to time, that made Pak hope that people could master their own destiny.