A Drink After Work (Camille)

[Monkey Fist]

There was nothing wrong with getting a celebratory glass of wine after a long battle with Stoppable. A few strings were pulled and Monty got into Michaelangelo's without a reservation.

One would be hard-pressed to prove that Lord Montgomery Fiske had been fighting with Ron Stoppable a few hours ago. His bruises were underneath his clothes, and healing; the scratch on his left cheek from broken glass had been cleaned and looked almost like a rather dashing scar. It only added to the dangerous and powerful persona Monty exuded. He'd traded his gi for a pressed suit and tie and his hair which had been unkempt and unruly was now slicked back and gelled. Oh, yes, he was a handsome, clever devil.

And to top it off, tucked away inside his jacket pocket was the Yono Scroll. Oh, yes, Montgomery Fiske was a clever, clever man.

He signalled to the bartender and ordered a glass of Chardonnay. Raising it in a toast, he took a slow sip, savoring the wine's flavor. He set it down slowly. The sun, he could see, was setting and this seemed the perfect ending to a harrowing day.

[Camille Leon]

She had finally managed to escape prison, and it was about time! She wasn't sure that word had spread past the jail that she had yet escaped. It had only been a mere day ago that it even happened. And, besides that, the jail had kept it hushed up that she was even there to begin with. So, this explained why the young adult didn't bother to try to hide herself as she approached Michaelangelo's. What was the point when most people didn't realize that she was a villain or supposed to be in prison?

Camille Léon knew darn well that you needed reservations to get into Michaelangelo's. This, however, was not going to rain on her parade. She was the Camille Léon... they had to let her in. It wasn't like they had a choice about the matter anyways. She'd find out who was on the reservation list, and then she'd just get in using their identity. She wasn't a stupid blond, and she wasn't very concerned about the matter.

Nor, did she need to be. At the site of her cutting in line, the person at the front immediately let her in. She smiled approvingly, before walking straight over to the bar. Her purple cocktail dress -from her own clothing line- flattered her form nicely. She'd just gotten it a little over an hour ago for the occasion, and she just loved the way that it made her look more tan.

Sliding onto a bar stool, Camille placed her order. A simple strawberry cocktail seemed to be what she was craving. Receiving her drink, she took a soft sip and glanced the window. The sun was setting... and even it seemed to be happy.

[Monkey Fist]

Yono Scroll. Good wine. The spicy and seductive scent of the city’s finest food. What more could make Monty’s night? An attractive young woman took the bar stool next to him and Monty smiled. Finally, his karma was working for—and not against—him. Another sip from his glass and Monty turned to face the young woman.

She was strikingly familiar. Not like Monty knew her, per se, but he knew who she was. Camille Leon, heiress, fashionista, party-girl and villainess extraordinaire. Cocky though it was to presume she knew who he was, Monty doubted that she didn’t. He was Lord Montgomery Fiske, famous archeologist, Ultimate Monkey Master, bad boy, and villain. And as… damaging as DNAmy’s affections had been to Monty’s reputation, he was still single and still alive.

He wasn’t stone cold dead yet.

He toasted her and smiled. “Miss Leon, allow me to present myself. Lord Montgomery Fiske.”

He indicated himself and offered a hand. A gentleman’s smile played on his lips as his keen mind churned. How could he get this beautiful woman as an ally? Her shapeshifting powers could easily be of use to him. Likewise, he knew she wasn’t much of a fighter as far as villains went. He could offer her aid in that field. After all they had a common enemy. Team Possible. Or Team Possible-Stoppable. Or whatever the hell they called themselves. The Dynamic Duo, for all he cared.

[Camille Leon]

Camille sipped her cocktail quietly, as she glanced around the restaurant. The smell of the city's finest Italian food made its way to her nose, causing her to smile softly to herself. It'd been so long since she'd had any Italian food. Who knew that jail didn't serve foreign dishes? Camille sure hadn't. She wasn't sure how she'd made it through the short time she'd been stranded there. It was so hard to be her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a voice next to her. She slid on the stool just enough to face the man speaking to her. As he held out his glass to toast, she slowly obliged. Toasting him, she gave a soft smile. He looked familiar, although the name didn't ring a bell. He clearly knew who she was, however. "The name doesn't ring a bell," She stated rather bluntly. However, she continued to hold her same smile. The charming one that she used every time she used every time she was breaking the rules so that she looked innocent.

Camille started to extend her hand, even if she didn't know who he was. But then, it clicked. She did know who he was after all! Well, she didn't know him personally... but, she did know that he was that man that she'd seen on the news earlier that week. Camille couldn't remember why, however. She gave a quick gasp, pulling her hand back before he even had a chance to shake it. She then announced the name that she'd heard the newscasters call him. "Oh mi gawd! You're that monkey man! I like... totally saw you on the news last weekend!" She declared proudly. A few faces turned from several tables over, but Camille ignored them. She was used to the stares. She was just proud of her achievement.

[Monkey Fist]

If Monty was embarassed, it didn't show. Instead, a small frown etched upon his face. News? Last week? Ah. Yes. He remembered. Bates had mentioned something about a statue being erected outside of Oxford in "memory" of him. He was, after all, dead to the majority of the world. The frown righted itself and a fleeting smile passed over Monty's lips.

"Guilty as charged," he said, almost satisfied. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Leon."

He took a sip of his wine and wondered if maybe starting conversation had been folly. She didn't seem to understand subtlety much, but, then, it was quite probably an act. She'd gone un-caught for a while now, and Monty doubted that one with shapeshifting abilities could be totally blunt and painfully oblivious to the world. He studied her over the glass for a moment, his grey-blue eyes meeting her wide, blue ones and Monty searched for intent to decieve. He couldn't pick up on anything. He set the glass down and turned to face her better.

"So, what brings you to Go City?" Monty asked, his voice even and civil, betraying only curiousity and genuine interest. Perhaps later, his self-serving motives would be more evident, but for now, they were two outcast members of the upper echelon of society, sharing drinks at a wine bar.

[Camille Leon]

Camille barely waited on the man's -that she'd now dubbed as 'monkey boy'- response. Instead, she spun her stool back to face the counter and took another small sip of her cocktail. For a villainess, she could sometimes be a bit oblivious to things. Like, for instance, the fact that in a five-star restaurant, you typically didn't exclaim things in loud voices.

As 'monkey boy' started talking once more, Camille set her cocktail down on the counter and crossed her legs. She spun her stool once more to face the man, a small smile plastered onto her lips. "I know!" She beamed, slightly quieter than the previous time. His calm voice was seeming to have an affect on her own voice -almost as if she noticed that for the first time that the people in this restaurant were talking quietly. Which, was not true at all. Camille couldn't have been paying any less attention to the other people in the room.

Camille let her hands fall into her lap into a rather calm manner. Her face was soon filled with a slightly bored expression as the conversation went quieter. She met his grey-blue eyes with her own bright blue eyes and held his gaze for a few seconds, before looking over at her glass. She opted reaching for it, but soon decided against it as the conversation drifted back to her. Instantly, her eyes fled back to the man, a rather genuine and suspicious smile on her lips. She may have been oblivious, but she wasn't dumb. She knew that she needed to be careful in the way she worded her response... one false move and she could be back in the slammer. And, that was the very last thing that she wanted.

"Well, you know..." Camille started bluntly. She considered her words carefully before she even opened her mouth to continue. "...I needed a break. Go City seemed like the best option for a uh... celebration -or vacation." Her voice was rather calm for once. Wording this discreetly and keeping her normal -carefree voice- seemed to be harder than she'd thought. With any luck, Monkey Boy didn't pick up on this.

[Monkey Fist]

A vacation, indeed, Monty mused, irony quirking his lips ever so slightly. I'm sure making liscence plates really did a number on those pretty, little hands of yours.

His eyes flitted to said hands. They were long-fingered, nimble, but dainty. His own hands, by comparison were weathered and callused, but no less deft. He compared them, in his mind's eye for a moment and admonished himself for being irritated at Miss Leon's behavior. He was the experienced villain here. Seasoned, better prepared, more mature. Of course he knew how to carry on a low-key, but meaningful conversation. He was well practiced. Poor thing hadn't enough experience or example set for her.

And what are you now, Monty? Patron saint of break out villainesses?

"I see... I understand the need for breaking free of society's restraints every so often," he said, giving Miss Leon a significant look. He knew where she'd been. Prison. Or worse. "It's quite... embarassing for those of us with wealth and power to... accomodate petty, peon laws."

He shook his head, affecting an air of slightly broody bitterness. A jaded noble. But his words held a more significant meaning. And as Byornic as he would seem to a non-villain, Monty was trying desperately to capture an ally. He picked up his wine glass and took another sip, calculating his next words carefully.

"You seem to be..." A pause, a glance, a smile. "... quite the lady. Forgive my... impertinence, but, tell me, if you will, just who or what do you think drives a lady such as yourself to sipping cocktails in a second-rate city?"

Team Possible. Miss Leon, we have a common enemy.

[Camille Leon]

Camille unfolded her hands as she studied him closely. He seemed to be studying her closely as well; she was starting to get the feeling that he knew more about her than she had thought. She couldn't help but to be slightly disappointed in herself for not listening to the news story about him during the previous weekend... that might have been handy information for a time like this.

She'd have to compromise, however. Camille's grip on her cocktail stiffened, slightly and she began to wonder if he knew that she was supposed to be in jail. At his next reply, she was rather certain that he did. She wasn't all that experienced in the area of crimes just yet... but it didn't take much for her to pick up the subtle tones in his voice that indicated that he did, indeed, know.

Biting her glossy lip just slightly, Camille's bright blue eyes narrowed just a bit. One wrong move and he might just turn her in. But, the man seemed to understand the situation; she knew shouldn't have come as a surprise to her. He was, after all, a villain with many years of experience behind him. She was simply a heiress cut off from the money that should have rightfully been hers. A heiress with the rather weird ability to shape shift, and a heiress that -due to a couple of teenagers- had spent the past month or two in jail. Again. "Oh, I know! It's so hard to be me," 'What is the point of rules and laws if they were just going to be broken?' Camille considered this, as she spoke.

Her cocktail now made it's way off the bar top, moving from hand to hand. She considered her words carefully. She didn't want to risk ending up back in jail. After what seemed like decades, Camille calmly sipped her drink and let a small smirk come upon her face. "Well... if you really must know. It all started with a teenage brat... Kim Possible." Her voice came steady, but clear. A rather annoyed tone edged it, though she tried her hardest not to let it show. "And, that one guy... the one with the rat."

[Monkey Fist]

And like a little fish, Camille Leon took the bait. Though Monty did not outwardly grin, he felt the tiny pinpricks of victory within his chest. Oh, he was a clever devil! What little he'd heard of the outside world was true. Camille Leon had not only gone villainous, but was working against Possible and Stoppable!

"Yes, Middleton's Dynamic Duo seems to spoil everyone's fun," Monty said, contempt for Possible and Stoppable evident in his sneer, sympathy-- empathy-- in his voice. "Despicable."

He shook his head and traced the rim of his glass with his long index finger. He'd better cut to the chase. Quickly. He'd noticed Miss Leon's attention waning earlier and he'd better nab her while she was still listening. Beating around the bush was fine when dealing with, say, Drakken. But not with someone like Camille Leon. No. The traditional banter of villainy was lost on her.

"I think, Miss Leon, we have quite a bit more common ground than one could guess." Monty looked up and met Miss Leon's gaze again. For once, his look was not guarded, but open and frank. His tone hushed, almost conspiritoral, Monty added, "We share enemies and-- forgive me for being presumptuous-- I think we can agree that the world would be a much better place without their infernal meddling."

[Camille Leon]

Camille's bored expression suddenly softened at Monkey Boy's reply. So, he knew Kim Possible and her... annoying friend? She suddenly didn't feel so bad for herself; being beat out by a teenager would normally be an insult. But, clearly this Kim Possible was no ordinary teen. Camille had new found interest in this conversation. This man seemed to know more than he had let onto just yet. And, although she hated to admit it, she was curious.

She leaned forward just slightly on her stool, careful not to fall. She was now sitting on the edge, taking slight comfort in the sympathy that seemed to be laced within his voice. But, Camille Léon was not yet ready to let her guard down. She would simply hear him out. What harm could it do? She was already at the low of the low. Or, at least, that's how it seemed to Camille. She had no where to go but up.

With one last sip of her cocktail, Camille set what was left back on the counter. She rotated on the stool just a bit so that she was now using the counter for a back rest. Then, she shifted her gaze back to Monkey Boy. What he was saying was holding her interest well. She had a vague idea as to where he was going with this, but she didn't want to interrupt. His voice was now hushed, almost as if it disappeared. With much noise at all, his voice would be gone.

"Are you suggesting... what I think you're suggesting?" Her right eyebrow was now raised, and -for the first time since she'd sat down here- Camille's voice was barely above an audible whisper. She wasn't taking chances... not this time. If Monkey Boy was really offering that they be allies, then Camille was going to consider. She needed all the help she could get if she was going to stay out of jail. But, she decided that she was going to keep the man waiting just a bit longer. It wasn't like she had elsewhere to go.

[Monkey Fist]

A smile spread across Monty’s lips. They had an understanding. So the blonde was brighter than she liked people to believe. Good. Very, very good.

“An alliance, Miss Leon,” Monty said, nodding and confirming her thoughts. “What do you say?”

I can offer incentives… he thought, knowing that he was certainly not above bribery. The young woman was pretty desperate. Shopaholics—of both the supervillain and plebian variety—needed cash to survive in the world. Monty had money. He’d amassed a fortune, separate from the family reserves through gambling, stealing, and selling ancient artifacts on the sly. He could afford to put her up in a flat. He could teach her how to fight. And in return, she could easily be a distraction for Team Possible-Stoppable. And human contact that wasn’t DNAmy. That was something important to the Monkey Man. Of course, whenever he was done with her, he could do as he pleased. He was Lord Montgomery Fiske. He was Monkey Fist, the Ultimate Monkey Master.

He raised his glass to her, hoping she’d meet with hers for a toast to seal the deal.

[Camille Leon]

So he had been talking of an alliance. Camille smirked softly, letting herself look away from Monkey Boy. She was pretty certain of her answer, but she was going to keep him waiting. Why ruin the fun already?

She took a soft sip of her drink, scanning the room as she considered this alliance. She knew well that she didn't have much to lose... but, she wanted to be able to gain as much as she could with as little work as possible. All she had was her ability to shape-shift. Even if she adored the ability, Camille knew well that it was far from the most impressive of abilities. Surely Monkey Boy knew that, too. Was he up to something, or had he really not realized this? Or maybe he was just... desperate.

She cocked her head slightly to the side as she leaned back against the counter once more. "I'd like to know what the catch is, before I take you up on this offer." Her smirk was once again planted on her face, and she watched the man closely. She wasn't ready to toast just yet... she wanted to make sure that there was no small catches that he'd had in mind. After all, Camille Leon wasn't the complete ditz that the press had made her out to be. She was sure to find some catch.

[Monkey Fist]

Monty lowered his glass. A catch? She was as smart as he was beginning to believe her to be.

Which was a double edged blade.

Setting the glass down, Monty leaned against the bar, head against his palm. "Well... You obviously know you can't get something for nothing." He smiled, almost smirked, but not quite. He wasn't agitated or trying to be tricky now. "Forgive me, Miss Leon. I've worked alone so long that business dealings... Aren't my particular forte. What I am proposing is that you and I work together to bring down Team Possible-Stoppable. I can teach you to fight... Rumor has it that, for all your other abilities, you lack technical know-how... I can give you that. And, if the same sources ring true a second time, you're... a bit down on your luck. I can provide financing. My stipulations are thus: you provide me with a reliable ally that I can turn to, should I need a favor and act as... something of a distraction to Team Possible-Stoppable. I don't wish to degrade you, Miss Leon, and I believe that with the proper guidance, you could be a great villainess."

Gently, stroke the ego, and your audience will do as you please. He was offering her money, power, respect, and revenge. For a down-and-out heiress, these were quite possibly as valuable as diamonds. But what would Monty be getting? A teaching opprotunity. A reliable sparring partner, who was not more powerful than he. An ally. A female companion that could deter Amy's affections.

The last one was most definitely an added bonus. Not something that Monty would ever say outloud or even propose. God, no, he was not soliciting her like that. Never would Lord Montgomery Fiske stoop to that level. But the months of isolation in Japan had been hard, cold, and bitter. His time as stone had given Monty time to reflect and the one skill he'd neglected in recent years was causing his demise. Monty lacked-- or felt he lacked-- enough people skills to thwart Stoppable.

"Now that the terms are... more clearly defined, what do you say? Allies?"

[Camille Leon]

Camille set her glass carefully on the counter top as leaned forward. Monkey Boy's conditions did seem rather... fair. She let her guard down slightly, and then brushed her hair over her shoulder as she considered these offers. She was, indeed, low on money... and -though she hated to admit it- Camille was lacking in the area of technical fighting. She was better with word games, better with messing with people's minds. She could always use a few pointers in the other fields...

It also helped that what he wanted in return, she could easily supply. Distractions were her forte, and if it would help to bring the demise of that Kim Possible and her friend... then, she was all the more for it. Monkey Boy was right... all it'd take was a little bit of guidance, and she could be just as great as all of the rest of the villains. Heck, she could be better...

and, if it all went well, she'd even be able to upstage Monkey Boy. She wasn't going to blurt this out, however. She she were to admit her newfound intentions, she was sure that Monkey Boy would take back his offers... she might have even ended up back in the prison. That was by far the last thing that she wanted.

So, she leaned slightly closer to the man, letting a few strands of hair fall back into her face. Camille gave a rather small smirk as she reached for her glass. "Well, Monkey Boy... you drive a hard bargain. But, let me get this straight..." She slid her cocktail glass off the counter top, resting it on her knee as she watched Monkey Boy closely. "You're willing to give me money, and help me with my... and slightly unconditioned abilities, if I just provide a decent decoy for those teen brats and... back you up if and when needed?" She could live with that sort of deal; she was getting a lot for what she considered to be a little. These were the kinds of deals that Camille enjoyed.

[Monkey Fist]

It sounded simple enough, his proposition. And yet, Miss Leon didn’t seem to understand the nuances and motivation Monty had. Thankfully. Those “teen brats” were the only thing keeping Monty from becoming the Ultimate Monkey Master and, thus, supreme ruler of the simian and human world.

Not that he expected Miss Leon to know a thing about Tai Sheng Pek Kwar.

Her surprise at his offer of cash amused him slightly, though. He wasn’t in need of material wealth. Anyone who truly followed Tai Sheng Pek Kwar understood the branch of Buddhism that was intertwined with its history. Money and needs of the flesh… They were “nice to haves”. Not necessities. But for all Monty’s religious fervor, Camille Leon had a love for the material. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—see things the same way. Which, made their alliance as close to flawless as Monty could figure. She got what she wanted; he got what he wanted. Purely mutualistic. He’d never let her in on the secrets of Tai Sheng Pek Kwar, so in his eyes, it was minimally self-sacrificial.

“You seem to have the gist,” Monty conceded. “Do we have an accord, or not, Miss Leon?”