Savatier Reis Tordoj was well known among any of those dealing in high end imported goods. Nothing else seemed to bring the man joy besides adding something live to his collection, and he was one of those men that had the coin to support his habit due to a substantial inheritance. It wasn't just live goods either. He was meticulous about housing any of his creatures. Really, he was meticulous about just about everything.<br/><br/>Reis was on a first name basis with some salesman, always preferring that they come to him first if he should decide to make an offer before presenting to the public. Most had an idea of what he'd wanted, and what he already had. His collection of cold blooded creatures was vast, but he dealt with aquatic, and the occasional warm blooded beast as well. It took something spectacular to really gain his interest anymore. That was the nature of being able to purchase things on a whim. He was running out of really unique things to buy. He'd turned down everything that had been offered to him last, and the salesman had nodded, and told that there was<i>one </i>thing, but he didn't have access to it. Another did.<br/><br/>That had peaked Reis' attention, but the salesman could not give him anymore details than that.<br/><br/>“I wouldn't usually do this, and the seller might not be willing to entertain your offer. This might be exactly what you need though,” the salesman said, and watched as Reis' expressive face lit up with irritation.<br/><br/>“Not willing to entertain my offer? And why might that be? Has my coin not done you good enough?” he snapped, tilting his head up. This was exactly the reaction the saleman wanted. Reis was playing right into his hand.<br/><br/>“The imports he deals in.. they're not legal, but you already seem to possess much of what is already on the market. This could set your collection apart.”<br/><br/>“Get him here,” Reis demanded.<br/><br/>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br/><br/>Reis spent much of his time sitting and musing over his collection. He had staff that would help with upkeep, but even there were some things that he didn't allow them to touch. Any of the venomous reptiles or any of the more aggressive species. He had a knack for handling them, and he knew proper holding methods. He knew strike distances, and how to keep himself out of the way. He knew behavior, and what sort of thing set each species off. He'd started off mentoring with someone, when he'd wanted to learn, and studied a great deal about the toxins they produced. They were unquestionable his favorite, and they also served his country, helping to produce and replicate those same zootoxins to be used against their enemies. Many of his staff thought he was about as warm as one of his snakes. Some even feared his uncanny ability to handle such dangerous beasts. His nation of Belmir was known to be superstitious, but Reis was too much a man of science to be bothered by such fanciful notions.<br/><br/>Reis was handling a deep cobalt serpent, long and wrapping from the bend in his arm down, face pointing away. A servant had entered, and with his other hand, he held it up in warning. Not to come to close. Never to move too fast. When one acted like prey, that was when they got bit. Reis knew better, and though the venom this snake possessed was extremely debilitating, he'd never been bit by it before. He was moving it from one crystal encased enclosure to another, so that the empty one could be properly cleaned.<br/><br/>“I'm sorry,” the servant spoke, blanched. “There's someone here for you, insisting on your company straight away." He gave her a nod, but he didn't rush. She'd left slowly, to accommodate their unexpected guest, and Reis got the snake safely transferred.<br/><br/>Reis cleaned his hands, though there was nothing to do about the dirt he'd wiped on his white linen shirt. His gray trousers were dirty as well, as they often were whenever he was helping to move animals around. He was a tall man, lean muscle, with a regal face. Light brown hair, a rather unremarkable color he thought. He was nearly thirty now, but looked younger than his years. Good breeding, and refraining from most manual labor seemed to keep him youthful.<br/><br/>“I wasn't expecting company,” Reis spoke, signaling his annoyance as he came around into the foyer. His eyes fell upon the stranger, and his paused in fixing his shirt. The stranger was a short man, not dressed in traditional Belmiran fashion, but rather he looked from some far off place. He was tanned, with hair darker than anything he'd ever seen, slightly curly. He immediately couldn't pinpoint his origins.<br/><br/>“You were not, but I'll think you'll make an exception for me. An associate of mine has told me that you have a specific itch that needs to be scratched,” the man spoke, his accent thick, and he'd smiled.<br/><br/>Reis brought him to where they could sit. Food and drink was served. Small things to pick at, and the stranger wasn't shy about partaking.<br/><br/>“He said that you had something I don't own yet,” Reis explained, picking up a glass of wine that had just been poured for him.<br/><br/>“I know that you don't. No one in this country owns one yet,” the salesman proclaimed, and Reis was listening. “I myself have only ever had access to this one. The creature is rare, probably the rarest thing you will ever come to own.”<br/><br/>“What is it?”<br/><br/>“We do not know. I myself have never laid eyes upon it. I have only received the details I have given you. What they have told me, back in my country. They can only share so much for risk of investigation. We cannot give them anything to go on. If you have your doubts, there are other buyers. I promise you though, it will make you a fine pet.”<br/><br/>Reis sent the man out in a rage. How dare he come to him with such tales. It had been a complete waste of time, but admittedly, he was curious. Some days later, Reis had been invited by that foreign salesman to his private estate.<br/><br/>'Since you need convincing,' the letter had said.<br/><br/>Reis went, even though he hated to be away from home. His interest was peaked and he need to at least see, even if he only left in disappointment. The home indicated that this man was successful at what he did, but that wasn't enough for Reis. The other must have known it.<br/><br/>“I show you my own collection,” he'd said, and brought Reis downstairs. Before lighting the candles, he'd heard them. Snarls, and some sort of bickering between two large animals. Feline, most like. The firelight illuminated them, where they were caged. Two big cats, but not a species Reis had ever seen before. They were a steel gray, stripes just barely detectable when the light hit them in certain areas, otherwise they appeared a solid color. Amber eyes watched him, snarled, and then butted their heads up against the bars.<br/><br/>“A male and female pair,” the salesman spoke, putting his hand up flat to the bars where the cats, easily six hundred pounds each, purred before taking a swat at the other.<br/><br/>“This is what you're importing? I thought you said there were no others in the country,” Reis explained, still interested regardless.<br/><br/>“No, it is true what I said. It will be the first one to set foot in this country. These two are just mine personally, to prove to you we only deal in high end when it comes to the pet trade. What you have the opportunity to purchase is even more spectacular than this pair.”<br/><br/>Reis sat down for negotiations after that. He agreed to his price, but only if he added the pair of cats to the deal. Reluctantly, the salesman agreed. Everyone had their price, after all. In the coming weeks, Reis would be able to add three more creatures to his collection. At least if whatever he had just paid a substantial sum for turned out to be a disappointment, he had those stunning silver-blue cats to show for it.<br/><br/><script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json">
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