He does put both hands at his hips at her news. He has already seen Pyotr's injuries, and knows for a fact that he, and his memory, are both fine. Artemy wonders if she's doing what policewomen do sometimes, falsify information to see how a suspect reacts.
He has been in the Army. He's been in trouble with the law before even. He knows a little bit of how this works.
"If you wish to get down to it, I have no qualms with doing so." He says, politely enough, but still with some amount of seriousness behind it, with force of will, "I assume you have ascertained that this is my clinic, and I am indeed a surgeon and physician here in Pumpkin Hollow, and a good one at that. I have evaluated Pyotr's welfare myself since our altercation and I saw nary a scratch on him, nor did I see any signs of even a minor concussion. Though I would certainly be interested in speaking to the physician who examined him and seeing that report myself."
If such a thing exists, it's unsaid, but his voice carries the assumption- he knows it does not.
"As for my potential danger to other citizens of Pumpkin Hollow- I am afraid that it would be unprofessional of me to self diagnose to begin with, and on top of that, I am no psychologist. If you wish for me to be examined by one, I will comply. Unless, you had something else in mind... Miss?"
"I can tell you don't believe me, but the fact that you didn't say a word of defense against the fact that you stabbed Erik leads me to believe that you at least aren't a blatant liar. But, it was Mr. Stamatin himself who told me he hit his head on the bar and that story is corroborated by other eyewitnesses, and Mr. Osborne."
Which does make her wonder just who healed Pyotr, perhaps it was Erik and he left that little detail out.
"There were also traces of blood on the bar and why I cannot speak to if he was or was not lying about memory loss, well...I know for a fact that he was injured."
In fact, Pyotr had simply said he was fuzzy on what happened after he hit his head, not exactly the same as memory loss, but it serves her purposes well enough.
"And he stated that he could not remember you stabbing Erik due to his injury. Was he lying about all that for kicks and giggles, or does he have some reason to try to protect you."
Artemy straightens himself out. He doesn't mind ironing out these facts and being honest as long as she isn't giving intentionally misleading comments. Nothing he's said has been a lie at all, and he's happy to admit his wrongdoings.
"I can confirm that after the altercation I left Pyotr with a laceration to the forehead which would have left blood you found on the bar." He says, stone faced and honestly, "However, now, a few days later, the laceration has disappeared entirely. I am assuming Erik Osborne has something to do with this, as I know he checked on Pyotr's well being a few hours after the incident, but you would have to ask Erik to ascertain this. This is simply my guess as to the events that must have occurred."
He can't really think of who else would have healed Pyotr, and considering the fact they had been intimate, which was none of this woman's business, it made enough sense to Artemy.
"As for Pyotr's memory loss, well..." He shrugs his shoulders, "I suppose it depends on exactly what he told you. Are you taking his refusal to cooperate as memory loss, or did he tell you outwardly that he does not remember? I know Pyotr well enough to know that back home, he ran with the type of people who were not quite law abiding citizens. I cannot imagine he is comfortable being forthcoming with law enforcement. I highly doubt he is trying to protect me, in fact, I am certain he hates me, though we apologized, made up, and I will not be slamming his head into anymore bar counters or attempting to stab him. It is not the man I wish to be."
He says so with conviction, more telling himself that than anything else, he doesn't really care if this enforcer believes him or not. What is willed will be done.
Valdis takes a very patient breath. The man isn't lying, and he doesn't seem to know who he is dealing with, which is aggravating, but he has still not admitted to stabbing Erik.
"Did you stab Councilman Osborne?"
She will know for a fact if he is lying through her empathic senses, and of course the fact that she is an apex predator. Though she senses this man is not one to be fearful as Pyotr is, or even as Erik is.
"Of course I did." Artemy says so as if it's common sense, "Though my blade was meant for Pyotr, Erik dashed in the way and took the blade for him in his stead. Even still, the action was my own, and I am responsible for it."
He really never intended to lie about it, and is actually sort of confused as to why she's asking this. He honestly thought they established this awhile ago.
"Do you intend to have me submit to a psychological evaluation or do you think more drastic measures should be taken?" He asks, "If it is the later, I would ask for some accommodations due to the nature of my work. My assistant, Anya, needs to be made aware of the situation and I need to prepare medicine for any clients who will be in need."
Honest to a fault. It would be better if he had said he hadn't as there was no proof that an actual stabbing had occurred. A bar spat is easier to write off. Valdis sighs, suddenly very much not missing her job back on her world. She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose with her fingers as she thinks.
"Erik has asked me to make this go away and Pyotr is very much not interested in any further conflict with you."
She had agreed to make this go away, and technically it can be assault instead of attempted murder, Erik walked away because he's annoyingly difficult to kill, Pyotr was healed, presumably by Erik.
"If that is what they wish, as the injured parties, then I am fine with that." He says simply, "Though, may I ask, was that your intention all along...? To sweep this under the rug, as it were, due to their wishes?"
He's growing more and more confused, and he's not bothering to hide it.
"There is no physical evidence of injury anymore, the blood on the bar can be written off as anything, I suppose..." His train of thought trails off, and he simply shrugs.
"So you are a friend of Erik's, then. I am glad he has friends who are willing to look after his best interests. I am certainly not arrogant enough to think you are doing this for me, a man you have never met, or Pyotr, a man who I know, from experience, can be an ass when he wills it."
He's starting to put the pieces together in his head. Little by little. Though he still doesn't really understand why she wouldn't be more forthcoming to begin with.
"Might I ask for your name, so if need be, I can check on the status of this investigation later on?"
"My name is Valdis, but I'll be handing this off once I finish my report and it will go away. You might get a fine at most, but a petty, albeit loud, squabble at a bar isn't news and that's how I intend to present it."
Valdis almost refuses, but the memory of Pyotr pleading for her to drop it does pique her curiosity.
"I'd like to get this settled before it takes up too much more of my time, but I am curious how you and Pyotr are connected. Off the record of course. If that involves tea, then fine."
Artemy turns around and opens the backdoor to his clinic, not inviting Valdis in, but leaving the door open. From the glimpse in, it seems to be his living area. She'll be able to hear him fixing two mugs of tea, and a kettle whistling, before coming back with two mugs.
He hands her the largest of the mugs, with a chip out of the rim.
"We come from the same world," He begins, "Pyotr wasn't born in my small town, but was already living there with his older brother when I returned from studying in the Capital. He knows of my duty to my hometown, and of my children."
He leaves the rest implied, but yes, they argued over his poor daughter, who Artemy now presumes to be dead.
Tea is usually something she does at her own home, with Fever and Max, people she wants to entertain or have a conversation with, so this seems a little off, being welcomed after essentially interrogating someone. She takes the mug, and listens.
It feels like a familiar story somehow, one that ended in someone dead and a threat with a lamp.
"I see. Is there anyone else here from your world?"
After all, Pyotr and Daniil had similar accents and way of speaking.
"Ah, yes, indeed. Daniil Dankovsky, if you've met him." He says the name with a bit more affection, something that he cannot hide, though Boddho knows, he tries, "He is better aquanted with Pyotr than I. Pyotr's twin brother and Daniil studied at the same college, I believe?"
She notes that affection, but doesn't file it away, preferring to gently press. Maybe she can learn more about Daniil from someone who isn't constantly on edge and threatening to explode.
"That would explain their similar accents, but not why you have a soft spot for him."
His face flushes red immediately. Damn his inability to keep himself composed.
"We are colleagues. Doctors both. We've worked together... I would call him a close friend, even."
Artemy does not sound convincing at all. It's not like he's lying. He's not trying to lie at all, in fact. It's something that someone tells themselves when they aren't ready to admit that there's more there, that they are indeed lovers, even if they haven't spoken that four letter word to each other yet.
Oh. It's honestly quite surprising to realize that someone could feel such things for the little sourpuss of a man. Though, she has some level of affection for Daniil too, except for her it's in the way someone would have affection for a small, wet and hissing black kitten they pulled out of a puddle in a rain storm.
"I see. And what do you think of his desires to destroy Death?"
"Truthfully?" He sighs, taking a sip of tea from his mug, "I don't know much about it. We were preoccupied at the time. From when I met him, to my untimely demise, we were fighting the plague, him and I. We did not have much time to discuss such things. And now, bringing it up seems to bring him genuine distress. One does not wish to overcome such a foe for no reason. Is it simple hubris? Has death taken someone from him whom he'll never forgive death for?"
He stares out past Valdis, taking another sip as he does so, thinking about what could have made Dankovsky's conviction so strong.
"I think I would just like to know why, truth be told."
Valdis takes a sip of the tea herself, not really tasting it but rolling his words around in her head. It would be reasonable to believe that after seeing so much of it, a man might decide he wants to prevent suffering, and yet...Death is always peaceful, a release from suffering and pain. If Death did not exist, then what meaning did life even have?
"Having met her, do you believe Death is an enemy?"
Since he had mentioned dying himself, perhaps he had a different view on it.
He says after a moment of thinking. It's not death that's the enemy, not truly anyway.
"Our enemy was the plague. The sand pest. And as a doctor I believe my enemy to be pain, discomfort, and untimely preventable death. I would like to think there is a difference there."
Though he wonders, if Daniil took up his fight again, would he join him out of obligation? Out of love? Or would the two be at odds? Only time would tell.
"I think there is and I think most people, not just doctors, would agree with you."
Valdis sighs, wondering exactly what trauma they've all experienced by being from the same world...living similar experiences. Everyone copes differently, she's seen it time and time again.
"If you could speak to Death, what would you tell her?"
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He has been in the Army. He's been in trouble with the law before even. He knows a little bit of how this works.
"If you wish to get down to it, I have no qualms with doing so." He says, politely enough, but still with some amount of seriousness behind it, with force of will, "I assume you have ascertained that this is my clinic, and I am indeed a surgeon and physician here in Pumpkin Hollow, and a good one at that. I have evaluated Pyotr's welfare myself since our altercation and I saw nary a scratch on him, nor did I see any signs of even a minor concussion. Though I would certainly be interested in speaking to the physician who examined him and seeing that report myself."
If such a thing exists, it's unsaid, but his voice carries the assumption- he knows it does not.
"As for my potential danger to other citizens of Pumpkin Hollow- I am afraid that it would be unprofessional of me to self diagnose to begin with, and on top of that, I am no psychologist. If you wish for me to be examined by one, I will comply. Unless, you had something else in mind... Miss?"
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"I can tell you don't believe me, but the fact that you didn't say a word of defense against the fact that you stabbed Erik leads me to believe that you at least aren't a blatant liar. But, it was Mr. Stamatin himself who told me he hit his head on the bar and that story is corroborated by other eyewitnesses, and Mr. Osborne."
Which does make her wonder just who healed Pyotr, perhaps it was Erik and he left that little detail out.
"There were also traces of blood on the bar and why I cannot speak to if he was or was not lying about memory loss, well...I know for a fact that he was injured."
In fact, Pyotr had simply said he was fuzzy on what happened after he hit his head, not exactly the same as memory loss, but it serves her purposes well enough.
"And he stated that he could not remember you stabbing Erik due to his injury. Was he lying about all that for kicks and giggles, or does he have some reason to try to protect you."
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"I can confirm that after the altercation I left Pyotr with a laceration to the forehead which would have left blood you found on the bar." He says, stone faced and honestly, "However, now, a few days later, the laceration has disappeared entirely. I am assuming Erik Osborne has something to do with this, as I know he checked on Pyotr's well being a few hours after the incident, but you would have to ask Erik to ascertain this. This is simply my guess as to the events that must have occurred."
He can't really think of who else would have healed Pyotr, and considering the fact they had been intimate, which was none of this woman's business, it made enough sense to Artemy.
"As for Pyotr's memory loss, well..." He shrugs his shoulders, "I suppose it depends on exactly what he told you. Are you taking his refusal to cooperate as memory loss, or did he tell you outwardly that he does not remember? I know Pyotr well enough to know that back home, he ran with the type of people who were not quite law abiding citizens. I cannot imagine he is comfortable being forthcoming with law enforcement. I highly doubt he is trying to protect me, in fact, I am certain he hates me, though we apologized, made up, and I will not be slamming his head into anymore bar counters or attempting to stab him. It is not the man I wish to be."
He says so with conviction, more telling himself that than anything else, he doesn't really care if this enforcer believes him or not. What is willed will be done.
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"Did you stab Councilman Osborne?"
She will know for a fact if he is lying through her empathic senses, and of course the fact that she is an apex predator. Though she senses this man is not one to be fearful as Pyotr is, or even as Erik is.
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He really never intended to lie about it, and is actually sort of confused as to why she's asking this. He honestly thought they established this awhile ago.
"Do you intend to have me submit to a psychological evaluation or do you think more drastic measures should be taken?" He asks, "If it is the later, I would ask for some accommodations due to the nature of my work. My assistant, Anya, needs to be made aware of the situation and I need to prepare medicine for any clients who will be in need."
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"Erik has asked me to make this go away and Pyotr is very much not interested in any further conflict with you."
She had agreed to make this go away, and technically it can be assault instead of attempted murder, Erik walked away because he's annoyingly difficult to kill, Pyotr was healed, presumably by Erik.
"What would you suggest I do?"
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He's growing more and more confused, and he's not bothering to hide it.
"There is no physical evidence of injury anymore, the blood on the bar can be written off as anything, I suppose..." His train of thought trails off, and he simply shrugs.
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"I'm finding a way around this because Erik asked me to, not for you or your friend."
In fact, she only took this case because it was Erik who was stabbed and the high profile nature of it meant senior eyes needed to be the lead.
"Your friend did himself no favors, though I have heard he is very self destructive so that tracks."
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He's starting to put the pieces together in his head. Little by little. Though he still doesn't really understand why she wouldn't be more forthcoming to begin with.
"Might I ask for your name, so if need be, I can check on the status of this investigation later on?"
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The words come a little too quickly and a little louder than intended, but nonetheless, she recovers fairly gracefully.
"He is important to my partner, that is all."
The fact he asked for her name is very very far from her mind as she turns what he just said about Erik over in her head.
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Gives her a confused look, breathes in, and gives her a moment to collect herself, before asking again.
"Excuse my indiscretion, Miss. Might I have your name then, so I can follow up with the investigation at a later date if need be?"
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"My name is Valdis, but I'll be handing this off once I finish my report and it will go away. You might get a fine at most, but a petty, albeit loud, squabble at a bar isn't news and that's how I intend to present it."
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"Very well then. Are you sure you don't want some tea before you leave? It's the least I could do for your trouble."
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"I'd like to get this settled before it takes up too much more of my time, but I am curious how you and Pyotr are connected. Off the record of course. If that involves tea, then fine."
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Artemy turns around and opens the backdoor to his clinic, not inviting Valdis in, but leaving the door open. From the glimpse in, it seems to be his living area. She'll be able to hear him fixing two mugs of tea, and a kettle whistling, before coming back with two mugs.
He hands her the largest of the mugs, with a chip out of the rim.
"We come from the same world," He begins, "Pyotr wasn't born in my small town, but was already living there with his older brother when I returned from studying in the Capital. He knows of my duty to my hometown, and of my children."
He leaves the rest implied, but yes, they argued over his poor daughter, who Artemy now presumes to be dead.
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It feels like a familiar story somehow, one that ended in someone dead and a threat with a lamp.
"I see. Is there anyone else here from your world?"
After all, Pyotr and Daniil had similar accents and way of speaking.
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She notes that affection, but doesn't file it away, preferring to gently press. Maybe she can learn more about Daniil from someone who isn't constantly on edge and threatening to explode.
"That would explain their similar accents, but not why you have a soft spot for him."
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"We are colleagues. Doctors both. We've worked together... I would call him a close friend, even."
Artemy does not sound convincing at all. It's not like he's lying. He's not trying to lie at all, in fact. It's something that someone tells themselves when they aren't ready to admit that there's more there, that they are indeed lovers, even if they haven't spoken that four letter word to each other yet.
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"I see. And what do you think of his desires to destroy Death?"
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He stares out past Valdis, taking another sip as he does so, thinking about what could have made Dankovsky's conviction so strong.
"I think I would just like to know why, truth be told."
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"Having met her, do you believe Death is an enemy?"
Since he had mentioned dying himself, perhaps he had a different view on it.
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He says after a moment of thinking. It's not death that's the enemy, not truly anyway.
"Our enemy was the plague. The sand pest. And as a doctor I believe my enemy to be pain, discomfort, and untimely preventable death. I would like to think there is a difference there."
Though he wonders, if Daniil took up his fight again, would he join him out of obligation? Out of love? Or would the two be at odds? Only time would tell.
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Valdis sighs, wondering exactly what trauma they've all experienced by being from the same world...living similar experiences. Everyone copes differently, she's seen it time and time again.
"If you could speak to Death, what would you tell her?"
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It's not really something he wants to discuss with a stranger.
"I suppose I could ask her if she knows why Daniil Dankovsky has made her his mortal enemy." The Haruspex jokes, giving a small chuckle at himself.
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