Henry groaned as he was busy stretching after a hard class that he taught. Sometimes he hated teaching, but it was worth it for the little bit of a workout he got from some new kids who thought it'd be cool to try Krav Maga. He was a hardass when it came to teaching, and drove all of the regulars to their limits. Even he was sweating from the workout, and sighed as he went into a stretch that worked on his lower back. Now he was feeling his age and doing everything that he did, especially since he sometimes did a little private investigative work on the side when he felt like it. Being 50 wasn't that much fun, but he managed to stay pretty limber for someone his age.

It was a little after 8 PM, and it was his turn to close up, but two classes just started so he thought it was a good time to get some stretching in. Hell he even had enough energy to go through the moves he learned long ago while he was still a Shadow. After a few minutes of that Henry walked over to his bag and pulled out a protein bar and a bottle of water as he sat down waiting for the other classes to end.

Ariel watched from the shadows. She had been in the Dojo- studing the last few classes- interested brown eyes attentive. She was a fast learner. When the later sessions began she stood and joined in wit the others who had thought it better to learn how to fight with sense. Weapons, Ariel believed, were pointless. If you loose your weapon- then what? Well.... she never expected anyone to pull her beautiful teeth so she'd always have her own weapon- but physical strength- the ability to use your body.... The Spartans had stressed it.

She smiled, taking off her white wife beater to reveal an appropriate colored red sports bra. Her shorts matched- clinging to slender thighs and a tight ass. She worked out- focusing on strengthening her whole body. Her feet were bare- as they usually were. A few scars graced them- scars from before she had changed- before she was graced with such strength and such power- cursed with such a pleasent fate. Contradictions were a requirement of being a vampiress. You loved it- you hated it.... such was life... and now- such was death.

Henry took a bite of the protein bar and sighed washing it down with water. His eyes spied the girl as she started to work out. She was pretty attractive for a girl her age, and he noticed the scars on her feet. Maybe they were from past brawls, or something. He also believed in relying more on your own body than weapons, but that never stopped him from using the Five seveN he always had on him in his workout bag. True he didn't need it, but he felt a little at peace knowing he had something just in case someone decided to shoot at him.

The former spy stood up, and walked over to the girl and grunted a little bit. "The school's going to close as soon as the other classes are over." He said without much pleasantries. That wasn't really him. "Did I meet you before?" He asked remembering someone looking a lot like her a while back during class. Even though he liked to keep to himself, he really enjoyed teaching Krav Maga, and could remember the students who came pretty well.

Ariel looked to her left to see the one who spoke. "Alright" she replied, nodding- her blonde ponytail bouncing with the gesture. Brown eyes searched his and she answered. "No... We haven't met before."

Perhaps it would be polite to introduce herself? "I'm Ariel Lolita" she said, holding out a hand. What could it hurt? Her eyes surveyed the mortal for awhile. He seemed very- different- almost young for his age but mentally he had to be older than sixty. His eyes held such age to them. She wondered if her own eyes were that mature? Of course- she tried not to seem no older than maybe twenty three but sometimes her eyes bled her knowledge when she wasn't paying attention. Even the old make mistakes.

Henry listened to the girl and shrugged. It was probably his imagination, but usually he was good about remembering people, otherwise he would've been dead a long time ago. After a quick sweep of the girl again he couldn't really decide if she was Greek or maybe from the U.S.

He grasped the girl's hand firmly and shook a little bit before parting a moment later. Her hand seemed a little cold for some reason, and he made a note of it in his head. She looked like she was probably anemic, but who knew? "Henry Lang." He said after taking a sip of water. "Where're you from?" For some reason looking into her eyes made him feel young compared to them, but it was only moments where the girl was studying him. Sighing Henry put his water bottle down, and fell onto his back bringing his legs up so that his toes were just touching the floor with his weight on his neck and shoulders stretching out his back. He always kept as limber as he could, but it was harder being someone his age. A few years ago he could get the top of his feet to touch the floor. "Do you come here often?" He asked while holding the position. He didn't really give her time to answer his first one, but he was interested in learning more about her. Once a spy, always a spy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" Firm handshake. It was nice.

Ariel gave him an innocent smile- or as close as she came to it. She nodded. "I'm from the United States" she said, not really wanting to even give the man half truths about herself. Saying she lived in Greece was just too--- Well, let's put it this way... Sparta doesn't exist anymore! And she couldn't slip. True, it was unlikely she would slip- because she simply didn't make mistakes like that anymore. However, Ariel was still a very cautious woman.

"I lived in Indiana actually, South Bend" She smiled. He fired another question at her and she laughed, amused by him. "I come here when I want to" she shrugged. "I don't really have much of a schedule. I work out when I can." She paused and leaned forward, eyes different than before- like the calm before the storm- but she held back that storm.

"Are you interrogating me?" she asked in a low voice. Ariel drew back and gave him an innocent laugh and bent forward to touch her toes, limbering out a little bit more. This was fun- he seemed so curious- and now- the contemplative side of Ariel peeked out. Oh- how fun would it be to mess with him- drive him crazy? Oh- but she shouldn't. He seemed- as if he had been through a lot- most of those past forty have..... Ariel turned away for a moment.

Henry listened to the girl and studied her without realising that he was looking for signs of a lie. Old habits died hard. Returning the smile as best he could Henry took a moment to calm himself down. He needed to remind himself that this wasn't an interrogation.

There was something in the girl's eyes as she answered his other question. It was something that seemed uncharacteristic for someone her age, like something was going to happen, but there was also something else that he didn't recognize. With a sigh Henry stood up spreading his legs out as far as he could so his manhood nearly touched the floor, but that was just about as far as he could. He caught what Ariel said, and sighed. "Sorry, old habit of mine. Never really trusted anyone." He said truthfully straying away from the fact that he was a spy, and that he was used to interrogating people, especially in the middle of a mission. Hard habit for him to not sound like he wasn't interrogating her. "I'm from the U.S. too, but I lived in New York on Long Island." He said lying, but he had worked hard to make it seem as if he was telling the truth. It seemed they both had their secrets, but he didn't know what Ariel was hiding.

Lie. Just a tad- oh the sound of his heart beating... just a little bit faster. Ariel couldn't help but lick her lips with a tiny smile. However, the lie meant nothing because honestly- Ariel didn't care where he was from. She smiled- Liar Liar pants on fire. She would have loved to have called him on it- but alas... how would she explain herself?

Suspicion lurked behind his old eyes and Ariel laughed at it. Oh- he thought she was hiding something... but he had no idea what. Perhaps he had met another of her kind- perhaps not. She was quite sure he'd say nothing about her. She did good enough at playing the human.

"So- why don't you trust anyone?" she asked him. She did not trust anyone- yet she did not interrogate. A job- most certainly would incur such a habit. Policeman perhaps? She arched one eyebrow, considering the man.

Henry saw a hint of a smile while the girl's face was turned from him, and mentally shrugged. He was a really good lier, and whoever could pick up on one of his deserved a medal, though he didn't know that the smile was because of his lie.

After a moment's pause Ariel asked him a question, and Henry shrugged. "I just keep to myself a lot." He said knowing it didn't answer the question. "It's a habit I picked up when learning Krav Maga." It was true, he didn't really trust people as he was learning Krav Maga, and it became somewhat worse as he became a spy, but he wouldn't tell Ariel that.

Looking at his watch Henry sighed. The classes would end in a while, and he didn't get a good feeling from the girl he was talking to. For some reason he couldn't help but feel as if she was a loaded gun aiming at his head. Call it intuition or whatever, Henry always trusted his gut, and couldn't wait to for the classes to end. He wanted to ask more questions, but he knew many of them would sound like he was interrogating her again. Even with this little conversation she probably thought he was a cop of something. "What do you do for a job?" He asked figuring it was a casual question that wouldn't stir up too much more suspicion.

Ariel flashed a wicked smile- bending back to stretch. "Oh- I'm a prostitute" she said casually. She laughed as the shock set in. "Just kidding- God- you're so fun"
She shrugged as she stood back up, meeting his eyes with her own.
"I'm an artist. I sell my paintings and such at the Museum here"
It was true- she did seel paintings when she could.... but she wouldn't call it an occupation- just an extra cash flow. She didn't really need too much money- save to pay for her apartment rent.

The yearning in his eyes to question was laughable. Ariel gave him a soft smile. His heart sped up again... liar... caution... he thought her something- what was the word? Ah- dangerous. Funny. He was a pretty perceptive chap.

Henry looked up immediately at Ariel's answer, and looked back down as she said it was a joke. He didn't enjoy jokes too much, and didn't even let a hint of a smile pass his lips. Prostitution wasn't something to joke about, well in his opinion it wasn't.

Then he nodded at Ariel's other answer. "An artist? Definitely sounds like an unstable way to make money." Hell he only taught a three or four days a week, but it was a pretty steady cash flow for him. Henry then knelt down on the floor and working on his breathing exercises. He was pretty good at holding his breath, made it to three minutes when an infiltration went sour.

Then he noticed the soft smile, and thought he saw that something was going on behind those eyes of her's. He was usually pretty good at reading people from their eyes, but he couldn't tell what was going on behind them. His eyes parted from her's and landed on the clock. About half an hour left. He didn't mean to interrogate Ariel, but now that he did a little bit he realised that there was a lot more to the girl.

Ariel noted the absence of a smile at her joke. "I'm not very funny" she said, her face entirely serious. "And I like being unstable. It gives my life a bit of a thrill, besides- I have a wealthy cousin" she shrugged. "Art makes me happy- So it's unstable. Isn't happiness and satisfaction with our lives what shuld be the goal of all mankind- to be happy with yourself? Does money matter so much?"
She raised an eyebrow before stretching once more.


"But I suppose I should get on home- it is getting quite late isn't it?" Her eyes met his as she smirked. "You never know who or what is out on these streets at night..."


She walked over to her bag- appropriately colored blood red. She pulled out a pair of black tennis shoes, slipped them on- and pulled her white beater back on and a black hooded sweatshirt over that. She slung her bag over one shoulder and moved towards the door. Did he have any more questions? Probably not- she wished he did. She wanted a reason to rip his throat out and feed from him- but he seemed as if he had lived through ebnough- She shouldn't... but the hunger screamed that she should. Ariel laughed at the hunger and controlled it- harnessed it.