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This girl really did have a penchant for stating the obvious, didn't she? Obviously they'd adjust their plans based on how they found the prisoners, it didn't need to be said. Chad wasn't sure if that was her way of organizing her thoughts, or if she honestly believed he didn't understand such simple facets of the operation. The Eve and him seemed to be of one mind, given how the other vampire immediately jumped to belittle Dionne's daughter like the child she evidently was. He would've gone with a demeaning pat to the head, personally, but he couldn't fault him; Casper had made the act a bit [i]passé[/i] when he did it to the purple boy without a hint of irony.

[color=00cc66]"I think the only one here with a problem is you, girl. You open the floor to feedback and then raise a fuss when it's given,"[/color] the vampire mused nonchalantly. Not that he was truly offended, but it really would become an annoyance if she harried him on every point he made. Especially if their suggestions weren't even at odds with each other. Typical woman. [color=00cc66]"I've lived your life a dozenfold times, remember? You needn't keep reminding me to do things. And lest you worry, were I desperately in need of heads to rip off for my daily quota, I'd have already blundered into the path of that camera over there and waited for the bloodbath."[/color] His mouth twisted into a sweet, yet taunting grin, the one that he reserves for people who take themselves too seriously when he knows he can become a thorn in their side. 

Fortunately, Casper managed something productive during their little spat, and spared the group from any rash actions Chad might've taken to liven things up a bit. The fate of the prisoners didn't particularly interest him, but a located prisoner was one step closer to vacating this dump so he could focus on more important endeavors. If he wanted to shut up and move along, Chad certainly wasn't going to object. Though he couldn't say he'd willingly participate in a jaunty crawl across the ceiling like some kind of insect. Mortals were so cute; they see a new type of magic and immediately jump to some overcomplicated diversion founded on it. 

[color=00cc66]"Even if we could, that'd be a waste of blood, time, and effort. I believe it more prudent to keep our attentions on our surroundings and not on whether our feet are going to slip right off the roof and into a camera's view or not,"[/color] Chad stamped out the idea immediately. [color=00cc66]"Besides, isn't that what mages are for? Are we too heavy or something? It's impolite to call people fat, you know."[/color] He turned his gaze down to their resident wall-walking expert, who predictably wilted under it like a delicate flower. 

[color=a366ff]"No, sir. I can handle everyone if necessary,"[/color] Purple squeaked, timid as he was. Poor thing, he'd been the only one that behaved; Chad really could stand to reward him for his behavior, assuming it came from manners and not fear, anyway. 

Turning away, he continued with a dismissive wave of his hand. [color=00cc66]"But that's a bridge we can cross when we get to it. Casper seems to have this floor covered, let's move on before all this bitching gets us caught."[/color]

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Quinn diverted his eyes bashfully as Lyra praised his spellcraft. She must not've understood how his affinity worked, because he'd barely done a thing there. What was there to congratulate? The speculation ended shortly after when she mouthed off to the vampires in their entourage - she was crazy, and he needn't give any thought to her motives or action beyond that. Then the other mage rose from whatever strange spell he'd been focused on to... stars above, what was with these people?!

Heat rushed to his face as the blond mage's hand made its brief journey through Quinn's hair. His own hand came up to quickly fix whatever Caspian had messed up, perceived or real, then joined its partner in tugging awkwardly at the hem of his shirt. He really needed something to do with his hands; embarrassment made him jumpy, but he couldn't afford to act on it when one wrong move could get them discovered. If Count Astorio didn't do it first out of spite, anyway. The tension in the air only mounted with every word, and though he had no part in it, Quinn felt his stomach drop all the same. 

Figuring it would be safer to look away rather than be confused for a participant, he followed the blond mage back down to the puddle he'd been so entranced with. To his surprise, it didn't show the slightly-distorted floor beneath, but a whole different room entirely. Was that below them? Could he see through the floor? Quinn hadn't even heard an incantation out of him, maybe he was less attentive than he thought.

[color=a366ff]"I think whatever you're doing is a lot more impressive than my spell, honestly,"[/color] the violet-haired boy commented quietly as he leaned over Caspian's shoulder. The picture even moved; though Quinn wasn't entirely sure what it displayed, given the way everything in this building seemed to look the same.

The feeling of hungry eyes on the back of his neck drew Quinn's attention away from the scrying pool and his posture back to rapt attention, only for it to crumple submissively under Count Astorio's scrutiny not even a moment later. Had he been accidentally roped into some kind of rivalry by Lyra's comment? Was that common here? Sure, he'd seen some mages with... [i]radical ideas[/i] on vampire-mage relations in the rebellion, but outright hostility like this had to be a rarity for the group to function. Right...? Was he immediately pegged as a disobedient upstart because he'd left a vampire's service? He didn't hate vampires, he just liked living!

[color=a366ff]"No, sir. I can handle everyone if necessary,"[/color] he answered the Count, choosing not to comment on the vampire's last jab. If anything, it was probably intended for Caspian anyway. Quinn certainly hadn't implied anything of the sort, but if he was to be grouped in with the rest of the mages...

He needed to find a way to distinguish himself from them, fast. Unfortunately, short of throwing himself to the floor and begging their favor, Quinn didn't see anything he could do immediately to do so. As soon as the Astorio looked away, his hands found each other once again and wrung themselves together in a pitiable attempt to comfort himself. His eyes didn't leave the floor, just in case.

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