Descole's Office (The Ministry of Magic, London- Creature control/Auror area )

"Well then, be ready to have EVERY step you take carefully watched by him..." -I warn as I begin making my way out.-

"Already on it,"

Descole chuckled lazily, turning his attention to his work again.

"Oh, wait... and here- pick your mind at this. Don't worry, it's empty. Just wanted to let you see how it's made."

The man unclipped one of the attack pod things and tossed it at Artisan.
It was, indeed empty.
And he just left it at that.

"Good day.

-I take the object, which even a master craftsmen like me had to admire the design of it.-

"Thanks... and here, make it quid pro quo..." -I hand him a sheet of that healing paper I used earlier.-

The man took it quietly, looking it over before giving Artisan a kind smile and a small nod.

"Thank you.. I'm sure I'll find joy in trying to figure this out.."

"Thank you for this..." -I hold up his device- "Should be fun discover, from one craftsmen to another."

-I nod to the man respectfully. I know I shouldn't, given my brothers stauch crusade against him, but I can't help but feel a sense of admiration and camaraderie with Descole.-

Descole chuckled slightly, gazing at the paper for a moment, running his fingers over it before setting it down with a weary sigh to keep working on the files in front of him.

"If you want, there's tea by the fireplace. It's still hot, so don't worry about that.."

"Thank you..." -I walk over and pour myself a cup.-

"Now.. if you don't mind me asking, you seem very... at ease with me, but not Artemis?"

Descole remained quiet for a moment, pausing to think before moving to grab his quill and dipping the tip in ink, moving to sketch down some thing in the paper.

After some thought, and sip of his own tea, he replied.
"I'm more tense around your brothers because they put me off. They... aren't precisely on my side, so to say. They hate me just as much as everyone else. However, You seem to be completely unbiased about the matter- and honestly, why wouldn't I enjoy a boy who takes the same interest in inventions as I do..?"

-I chuckle a bit.- "Don't get me wrong, if you made any sort of strive against my siblings I would take arms against you."

"But the way I see it it's a matter of priority. We're playing for the same team here, we want to stop Persephone. And quite frankly, I've never met anyone else who had ALMOST the same level of genius with inventing as myself."

A tense pause, Descole's smile flickered.

So, this boy had no clue about what happened in the Hospital Wing, when he attacked Artemis and Liria..?
Good.

He straightened slightly and gave a small, smug smirk.

"I can't say you're very humble, then. All right- you must not have met my butler...'

A small shout, a man with a bushy beard and moustache that hung over his mouth and messy, longer brown hair stepped out from a nearby closet-like doorway, holding a stack up books.

"Yes, Master..?"

Jean stood, putting his things down and taking a small key from his desk, walking to the man, who remained still and pensive.
He moved to his back and glanced at him for a moment before pulling his jacket up the the middle of the man's back.

The butler remained as still and uncaring as before.

Descole stuck the key into a slot in the back and turned it.
Instantly, though his arms were still holding the books, the man's head tilted down and his shoulder's slumped, joints locking to keep the thing up.

"Ever seen a clockwork human..?"

-I look absolutely amazed, a clockwork human... this is incredible.-

"I tried to created my own mechanical man once... to help judge between the guilty and innocent. But regrettably, it's standards were set impossibly high."

Descole moved smoothly and carefully, taking the synthetic skin head off of the mechanics, showing the ghostly and intricate mechanical skull.

"Make him the same way as the owl. He's still got some bugs here and there- they always do. And since I usually work thing on my own, I don't use him much. But he's useful when he needs to be."

A smirk, he looked at Artisan and nodded slightly.

"High standards aren't a bad thing. After all, this was made by me- Jean Descole, A scientist with rather lofty goals.."

A smirk.

"And anyway, it gives you things to try at."

"Well when I said IMPOSSIBLY high standards, I don't mena for MYSELF. I mean for others. Sononacy's purpose was to protect the innocent and fight evil. However it thought EVERYONE with even a little hint of shade in their hearts was evil and tried to kill them! Even myself."

"I had to destroy it of course..."

"But anyway, I appreciate the tip."

A raised brow, Descole gave an interested laugh.

"Did it..? ...How.... exciting...."

A dark smirk, Jean slipped the face back on the robot, activating it before tucking the key awaw.

"And no blueprints for it left?"

"Oh no, there are... you'd have to be an idiot to not keep the original design work to refer back, am I right?"

A thought
An idea.


"Of course. Would you mind if I took a ppeek, sometime?"

"Sure! I doubt you'll be able to find the flaw in the design if I couldn't but who knows, you may get lucky."

-I go into my bag, left by the door and reach my whole arm into it searching for it.-

"Where's the damned thing..."

"AH! There you are!" -I pull out a large scroll.-

-The details inside depicted an mummy like suit of armor, except the normal wrappings replaced with metal, the only holes in the whole suit were the eye sockets. The image rotated a full 360º. Next to the armor drawing were the details of the potion required for it's animation. When the potion was poured into the eye sockets, the armor would become in essence a thinking suit of armor, guided by only the desire to protect innocent and defeat the guilty.-

Descole took the scroll and looked it over, a thoughtful look seeping over him.

He smiled cooly and looked up at Artisan, nodding in approval.

"Very, very interesting. Yes, I do quite like it.... I'll see what I can do with it- it will be quite fun. Thank you..."

"A few more of these in perfect working order and people won't even need us anymore..." -I chuckle at my own jest.-

Descole felt himself tense.

The boy was right. A few of those and Aurors wouldn't be needed.
And as far as Descole was concerned, that upset him. He wasn't loosing his job to a damned robot.

But he kept his cold air about him, his eyes dark from under his mask as he tucked the scroll into his suit, smiling slightly.

"No, of course not. But who wouldn't want to keep their jobs, mm?"
A chuckle, Descole turned away from Artisan and dismissed the clockwork butler.
"I do wonder about Crest, though- he knew almost everything about me. How is that so..?"

"I'm afraid those are secrets I cannot reveal." -I watch the butler walk out, truly a fascinating application of the technology.-

"I will say this though. Long ago, when my father still was the head of the family, he long debated with his fellow council members who should take the reigns of the family next. He was stuck between Sound and Crest. Sound for his force of will and true devotion to justice, and Crest for his knowledge and skills and resolve to get the job done."

Descole scowled, a twinge of frustration growing in the back of his mind.

And then Fade was brought up.
Even more anger grew in Descole, and it crackled around him, making his shoulders tense and his fingers twitch with anxiousness.
Fade.... that damned man...


"I.... see..."

He spoke almost forced, frustrated.

"... Do you have any clue... how the... News... might have gotten a hold of my information, mm?"

-He really underestimates the Strayer's network, even in the Daily Prophet we have people.-

"Your guess is as good as mine." -As with all Strayers, I'm not comfortable with deception, but this is more a necessity than lying for gain.-

"Can I ask you something? Did you have any sort of problem with my father?"

A pause, the man took his cup of tea, returning to his seat to work on his papers.

His voice rung with coldness and snide irritation.

"... I did..... well, that is... when he was still alive.."

"Why? Was it over your methods?"