Scene #7846: Crossing Swords

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	POUND The door to Tony's Shitty Apartment shakes. "Vergil Sparda! Come out! I have a warrant, and I'm not afraid to break this door down!" So, the fight against Persephone Kore went... really badly, and ended up with Kale being thrown from the moon (sort of) and landing face-first in a pile of snow. That is no reason not to pick oneself up, dust oneself off, and try oneself's luck again. Besides, Persephone was probably just the strongest of Lilian's four 'Dark Generals' - this Vergil person is just a swordsman, right? And Kale knows swords pretty well. Also fortunately - Kale can take some liberties in tracking him down, like pulling a warrant for his known place of residence. POUND POUND goes Kale's fist on the door again. "I repeat, come out or I'm breaking down this door!"
Vergil	A soft click as locks slide back, and then the door opens, creaking on its hinges. Behind the door stands Vergil. Whaite hair slicked back, the iconic blue jacket and sheathed katana at his side. Before Kale can say a word, he steps out and closes the door behind him. "My brother is sleeping. What is it that is so important that you're making this racket?" he remands, his face arranged in a powerful, scornful scowl that seems to cut right through Kale.
Kale Hearthward	Oh, that was easy. Kale doesn't need to break down the door after all. "I'm here to take your measure," says the hawk, crossing his arms as he looks Vergil up and down. (He himself is open carrying both of his swords, holstered x-shaped on his back.) "... Not all that impressive looking, are you. Are you sure you're Vergil?"
Vergil	The scornful look mellows, if only a little, into a one of bafflement as Kale lays out his reasons for being here. "Ah. So the warrant was just a threat. And the breaking of the door the punishment for not heeding it? What is this?" As Kale derides his appearance, a laugh rises in Vergil's throat. It's not a nice one, or an amused one. "I've no time for this. Be on your way, bird jester, before I lose my temper." He turns and starts to go back inside the apartment.
Kale Hearthward	Kale jumps in and tries to grab the doorknob before Vergil can get to it. "Ah - no, I actually am here with a warrant. Something about some extrajudicial murders, hmm?" With his free hand he pulls a slightly crumpled sheaf of papers from his vest. "Forget disturbing your brother's sleep - I've got authority to remove the door and turn the place upside down." "I'd rather not execute it, but if you go back on into the apartment, I'm not gonna have much of a choice here, am I? Work with me here."
Vergil	Vergil looks at Kale as he intercepts the doorknob. His expression does not shift at the warrant that is waved at his face. It does not shift as Kale threatens to turn the apartment over. "If you came here for a genuine arrest, came here because you read whatever file you had on me, you would not have come alone." He moves, so fast that a blue afterimage of him standing there is all that remains. His hands are on that katana, pushing the blade out enough that its metal glints before sliding it back in. And the warrant is torn to shreds in a blink. His hand wraps around Kale's neck, and in another flurry of movement, he is slammed against the wall opposite the door, Vergil's eyes glowing red in the dim light. "Now, I think it is you who is going to work with me. Tell me again, why are you here?"
Kale Hearthward	Kale radiates confidence - most of the time. He's confident he has the upper hand here. He's confident that Vergil will have no choice but to go along with his wishes. He's confident that all of this will wrap up before dinner time, so he can take the rest of the evening off. It's amazing how quickly all of that just evaporates, here. "Ghk-" He reaches up, reflexively grabbing onto Vergil's wrist with both hands. "I'm - you're one of the four people Lilian Rook named as the strongest foes she faced," he says quickly. "I'm here to see if I'm stronger than you!"
Vergil	Vergil blinks a couple of times as Kale explains. And then he laughs again. This time, there is genuine mirth in it. But his grip does not loosen in the least. If anything, it gets tighter. "Oh, did she now? I'll have to speak to her later. But, you got a good laugh from me, bird jester. So I will do you a favor and answer that question for you. You are not stronger than her in the least. And I will even tell you why." He swipes with the sheathed katana in his free hand, sending the scraps of warrant flying. "Thinks like rules, law, justice. Things like this warrant here. Comfortable illusions invented by the weak to make them believe they have any control over the strong. The fact that you cling to them means you are weak. If you were strong, you would have burst into the apartment and taken me by surprise. You would have announced your intentions clear as day. Giving me this runaround of trying to arrest me is the cravenly acts of a weakling." "Secondly, the strong do not doubt. They do not posture. They do not do any of what you are doing. I presume she told you of me when you challenged her. She did not do it because she was interested in seeing if you are worthy. Honestly, if she sent you after me, she is probably hoping you die in the attempt. She does not see you as a legitimate threat, and nor do I. That is because we are sure we would crush you. We do not need to beat our chests to prove it. The moment you cross a line as you have, we would defeat you. As I have." He lets go, letting Kale slide down the wall. "So fly away, little bird. Use those wings for what they were meant for; escaping foes stronger than you. And be glad that the only things I have cut today is your paper and your pride."
Kale Hearthward	Kale, still on the floor, winces. "I'm not... weak," he says. The words sound hollow, even to his own ears. Did Lilian send him off like this to get rid of him? Regarding Persephone, he could give Lilian the benefit of the doubt, given how fond she seemed of her kid gloves... the end result having hurt his pride far more than his body. But Vergil seems more like a death sentence. ... No. It was his own decision to come out here... right? ... He needs to figure this out. He also needs to get back in the moment. Vergil's words echo through his head. It's the sort of worldview Kale would vehemently protest against - that he's built up a counter philosophy to in his mind. He should be able to refute it, at least. He wouldn't have joined the Paladins if he thought the binds of authority made him weak, right? "Justice... isn't like that," he tries saying. "It's... more important than..." Damn. Damn, no. It all sounds hollow. It all sounds like he's on shaky ground, like shifting sands instead of the solid rock he pictures beneath his feet. He gets to his feet. He can, at least, leave under his own power right now. Small victories. "Don't... cause trouble," he says as he turns to go. There's no force behind the words.