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meadowlarking2019-11-20 05:33 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME 007
Welcome to the Meadowlark test drive meme! After waking up in strange and rather worrisome conditions, characters will need to begin to live their lives in this new world. All TDM threads take place after the arrival process, so please assume that the initial adjustment period has passed – in which the characters were found after being dropped off in a random part of the city and had to live in a safehouse for four days before hitting the streets. Now it's time to see the bright sights and sounds that New Amsterdam – and beyond – has to offer.
All Meadowlark test drive memes will not be game canon because of the nature of our arrival logs. Please feel free to carry on relationships that make sense, but please keep in mind that the TDM may not reflect current circumstances in game.
All applicants can use threads from the TDM for their samples.
NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them.
There is very little that can smooth over the experience of your arrival in this world. Coming to your senses in a van, drugged and restrained, only to be carefully helped out by the unknown guards and nurses and then abandoned in an alleyway. What comes after is relatively straightforward: you're found by others and taken back to a safehouse that is hidden under an old hover bike shop. You aren't the first group that this has happened to: there are others not from this world who have experienced the same, with no recollection of how they came here. Like you, they have few answers about what's happened to them. Maybe this knowledge brings you a growing sense of futility, or perhaps it inspires a deeper determination in you. But even as you begin to think on what to do next, life has to go on.
All of the new arrivals will be given a fake ID and a background that will lend them access to entry-level jobs. It may be overwhelming, but their fellow Displaced have found their footing enough to be able to help the newcomers. Two Morningstar agents will be around to take care of world integration and IDs – the rest will fall to the Displaced who arrived before. It would take at least a month's wages to put down a deposit on even the smallest apartment in the city, so everyone has a grace period before they have to leave the safehouse – and then some, depending on the kindness of who's running the show.
Morningstar's veteran agents will also make their purpose clear if asked: they are a group dedicated to fighting corruption and righting the wrongs of this world, though they're in the process of rebuilding the organization's branch in New Amsterdam from scratch, and they know that the people in charge of those efforts wouldn't mind a little help. It will be made expressly clear that this entire arrangement to get the Displaced situated in the world is meant to be kept a secret, and that especially includes Morningstar's assistance. Letting the world know about their involvement could cause big problems.
> EXPLORE THE CHANGES
Despite the lack of answers about why you're here, your fellow Displaced will be able to give you a rundown of the changes they've recognized in each other. Anyone who had powers before will find them gone. Anyone who was once an AI or in a completely artificial body will find that their current body is now fully human. Those with cybernetics will find that they've remained mostly untouched, though any primitive ones may be replaced with temporary ones that are improvements on the previous models.
◉ NEW ABILITIES. In the place of any powers that were lost, there is now a new power. These abilities are unique to each of the Displaced and seem to update over a certain period of time, with the changes appearing thanks to critical emotional events. One thing that's apparent is that the power seems to be linked to the Displaced individual's personality or life before this one, shaped according to who they happen to be. When this power appears, their chest glows with a blue light that shines from their sternum, and it can be triggered by anything: natural inclination or a moment of great stress. If someone's out in public when this happens, they might want to duck under cover lest the blue glow from their chest and the unusual power's appearance draws unwanted attention.
◉ EMPATHY BOND. No matter the circumstances or the conditions, every skin-to-skin touch of the Displaced triggers this empathy bond. Whether they touch hands, brush cheeks, or knock into one another on accident, they'll be met with the emotions of the person they've touched. Every instance of skin-to-skin contact will trigger an immediate empathic bond, letting you feel the other person's emotions and vise versa. While there's nothing that can be done to completely prevent this, someone can either decide to hold on and continue sharing that level of emotional intimacy, or let go and end the shockingly vulnerable exchange. If someone is particularly tactile but not fond of sharing their emotions, they might want to invest in a fashionable pair of gloves.
◉ MEMORY SHARE. Through a recent event, the Displaced unlocked the ability to share memories similarly to how they can share emotions. While unknown at first, the Displaced soon learned that they could share a memory with each other the same way they could share emotions. All they need to do is focus on a memory and touch the skin of their fellow Displaced, and then they could pass this experience along. These memories are shared through the eyes of the giver, granting the receiver a unique insight into the thoughts, feelings, and sensations during a specific moment in their life.
◉ DREAM SHARING. Once one, two, or five Displaced fall asleep, they may be able to find each other in their dreams. These dreams lead to the dreamers themselves feeling lucid and somewhat in control of their surroundings—though the control itself is ultimately dependent on the dreamer and how well they come around to understanding what's going on. Dream logic applies with the flow of time, but no one is able to spend their entire lives there. Lost powers are still gone for any of the Displaced, but they can use their dreams to practice any new ability that they've received. Memory shares and empathy bonds are just as possible within these shared dream states—if anyone doubts that another Displaced is really there, they can test the empathy bond to see if it activates.
◉ POWER SHARES AND UNIONS. The Displaced can share something of themselves with another Displaced by offering them an object that comes out of their chest. This object is meant to be symbolic of the person it comes from and significant to them in some way. When someone else takes hold of this object, they will get a sense of the owner's essence, along with temporary access to their in-game ability. Only when they give the item back do they give up the power in question. In addition, the Displaced are able to act in unison and create a fusion of their powers, making it so they can fight someone else with them at once. This ability is there from day one, but the power's ability will only ever present at its current stage.
> THE NETWORK
When the Displaced first showed up, Morningstar set up a private network for all of the Displaced to use in order to communicate. Most of the veteran Displaced are old hands at using the implant now, and will be happy to provide any necessary information on how to utilize this new tool and understand its application in daily life.
Early on, every newcomer receives access to the encrypted network, only available to you and the others like you, making contact between you easy and safe. Familiarize yourself with this network and dig in. Perhaps you're hoping to find some bigger answers, ask about the current nail polish trends in New Amsterdam, or want to play a game of "hot or not" among the Displaced.
◉ IDENTIFICATION. Everyone who gets set up with an ID gets access to Morningstar's network. In order to ensure that none of the Displaced stand out like sore thumbs, Morningstar's agents El and Gaby ensure that everyone has a name that makes it so they fit in among society. All usernames are thusly formed as firstname.lastname, with some room for creativity (Ziggy Stardust had a brief cameo, after all).
◉ PRIVATE COMMUNICATION. There are private, one-on-one modes of communication available as well, though without the security of Morningstar's encryptions, they're much less safe. You can make calls, send texts, make videos, and even interact with others in a VR simulation—however, it's made very clear that the government has a means of tracking this communication. Big brother is always watching.
The day of April 26th is known to all United Nations citizens: it's Resolution Day. To everyone around the world, it's the day when the last known AI lifeforms were completely eradicated in 2101. While some might say that it's the day that the UN claimed victory over the AI, to people the world over it's the day that humanity managed to keep themselves from being wiped out. Little will be said in detail about the holiday itself, but a remedial bit of research will cover the six-year-long Xelkoven War between humans and AI. The war itself was started when the home security unit AI Elysian killed 50 households full of people, and the war itself was named after the largest artificial intelligence distributor at the time: Xelkov. Ultimately, a billion humans died in the war, and there was the very real risk that the rest of humanity could have followed if they hadn't devised a method to put down the AI for good.
The citywide celebration of Resolution Day starts early and finishes very late, so whether you choose to join in the fun, learn more about the history of the festival, or take advantage of the revelry for other, more nefarious goals, you'll have plenty of time.
As the festival sprawls wildly throughout the streets of New Amsterdam, it gives even the most desolate parts of the city new life with bright lights, noise, and plenty of food. Most businesses are closed for the day, but not all of them—if you've gotten yourself a restaurant, street cleaning, or corporate PR job, you might find yourself stuck on a double shift. Better snatch what small moments of enjoyment you can!
> ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES
Anything you'd think would be at a festival in the year 2512 is definitely at this festival. Food, games, dancing, alcohol, free stuff? It's all there for your enjoyment. While the city streets will be full of people, this isn't a bad day to try networking. Want to get a new job or find a way to pry some information out of someone when they're least likely to remember you? Try to butter them up—or use the powers you've been granted to get your way. If anything goes badly, at least you can slip back into the crowd.
◉ GAMES. Care to play a game? All attendees can play for free. Some games —like the hoverblade racing, the augmented reality fightboxes, and the street-wide bouts of laser tag—require a partner or a competitor, so you better hope someone's willing to do you a solid or bring out your competitive side. For anyone who's interested in something a little less hands-on, all of the city's biggest VR arcades will have setups with all the latest games. Hoping to get noticed for your gaming talent? This might not be the day to try to stand out, but anyone's down to try.
◉ FOOD TRUCKS. It's time to try the delicacies of New Amsterdam. Hundreds of food trucks have turned out today in droves with high hopes that they'll come away turning a profit. Down for some Mexi-German fusion? Or perhaps you're hoping that pad thai still tastes the same with grasshoppers? Share your food – or give away whatever you don't like. Food trucks are the hub of activity, and the busiest ones might be worth the time, but you'll be standing in line for a while.
◉ NETWORKING. There are other opportunities with the city being flooded with festival-goers. Whether someone is on a mission to try to test the current sentiments toward Morningstar or simply wants to charm some corporate execs, this might be the time to get it done. Whatever your cover story is, make it good. Whether you claim you're hoping to pitch an idea for some new tech or are more interested in seducing – or squeezing – some information out of them, following them into the next bar or karaoke booth may give you the perfect chance. But you might want a lookout to watch your back, a co-conspirator to keep them plied with drinks, or maybe you'll need a voice of reason to stop you from squeezing too hard. Discretion is the name of the game. Everyone can agree upon that.
> HISTORY LESSONS
Aside from your typical booths of free samples, charitable causes, volunteer applications, and white chocolate-covered beetles, you'll find an opportunity to learn about Resolution Day’s history. There are various stands available where—thanks to the augmented reality application of your neural implant—you can view videos about the origins of the festival and the reasons for celebrating. If you haven't done your initial search yourself, you'll be able to buff up on it here.
◉ VR SIMULATIONS. If you'd like to feel like a hero, the UNA are running several virtual reality simulations where you can be taken to the battlefield to fight alongside fellow soldiers, working to bring the outwardly robotic AI to submission. The virtual reality simulation interacts with your neural implant to give you the most realistic experience possible. If you don't ground yourself enough, you'll be certain that the sights, sounds, and smells around you are real as you march in formation toward the brutality waiting up ahead. Feel free to team up with a partner on a side mission, or maybe try to keep someone from plugging in for what could be a traumatic experience. Eerie, heart-wrenching music plays when you die, but is promptly followed by the image of several corporate logos reminding you that they sponsored this day and this event.
◉ SYMPATHIZERS. If you're uncomfortable with the concept of eradicating all AI, no one will understand why. AI sympathizers are not present among the native population. Everyone in this world has been raised with the understanding that AI only wanted to destroy humanity, and that everyone is lucky to be alive in spite of it. They have a deeply ingrained fear, and anyone claiming to formerly be an AI or android won't receive a very friendly response.
Traveling down from the hectic main city streets reveals a different side from the gloss and promise of New Amsterdam. Economic disparity runs rampant throughout the city, and many people are pushed to desperation, looking to find other ways to make ends meet. In the darker shadows, many illegal activities thrive, out of view of the authorities—or perhaps known and supported by corrupt individuals. Maybe you're out exploring, completing a task for Morningstar, or working a job in the place you excel. Whatever brought you to the rougher parts of town, you may want to watch your step, or else find the city eating you as it has so many others.
> ORGANIZED CRIME
Organized crime still has a strong foothold in the world, with gangs and more established families working with drugs, weapons, property, and black market cybernetics, to name a few. These organizations are sprawling units that regularly recruit new members into their ranks, so long as they can prove themselves by passing the intensive hazing. While there are two main mob entities in New Amsterdam—the Riverstone Mob and the Petrov Family—there are a handful of gangs that otherwise roam the streets. Some are loosely sponsored by the mob, while others are fledgling groups trying to gain clout. More than anything, these groups know they don't have the power of the corporations or government, and do everything to seize more power when they can.
◉ JOINING UP. Catching the eye of the mob is difficult, but not impossible. Getting into the larger gangs is less difficult, but they're still wary of anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of how to duck surveillance, traffic drugs and supplies, and intimidate people without catching flack from the NAPD. The best way to start getting attention is through their clubs, casinos, and illegal gambling dens. Getting inside isn't always easy: it might take a few weeks of legwork to get an invite, but someone could try to strongarm their way inside or use some chicanery to make it a smoother endeavor.
◉ ESCAPE PLAN. Whether you went in to cause trouble or accidentally caused it by breathing the wrong way, it's good to have an escape plan in place. Does that mean fighting all the goons available? Maybe. What about stealing a hover bike and getting away? The good news is that hover bikes can fit where hover cars can't.If you've got the skills, you'll be able to weave through the chaos of the city and make a clean getaway. Just don't let the chase run for too long, or you'll have law enforcement on your ass as well.
> FIGHT CLUB
No matter the occasion outside, New Amsterdam's fight club events are held every evening. The bouncers at the door don't have too many scruples on who they let inside. All they care about is whether someone has the money to pay the cover charge.
The interior of the fight club reveals the sophistication of a business that's used to uprooting itself regularly. All the fights take place in a large cage in the center, and you remain on your feet while you enjoy the show. There is a special VIP section if you've been lucky enough to receive an invite or bribe your way in – just keep in mind that these invites are scarce, and you will have to have done something spectacular to earn the attention from someone high up the food chain. Regardless of where you end up, there is one rule: what happens in the fight club stays in the fight club. This tenant is law, and everyone's heard stories of the different (and sometimes extreme) lengths that have been taken to maintain it.
◉ FIGHT. It's time to sign up and test your chops against other fighters. Many of the fighters boast illegal cybernetic enhancements, so it would be a really good idea to have someone on hand who knows some first aid. Fights can either happen in duos or in one-on-ones depending on the signups for the evening.
◉ RINGSIDE CHAT. You might just want to enjoy the show, or use the opportunity to grill the bartenders for information. Just be careful not to make a fool of yourself. Asking too many questions might catch the wrong kind of attention – the kind that might find you being thrown into the ring, whether you wanted to be there or not. For all the blood spilled, these fight clubs thrive on discretion, so whatever you do, try to keep it quiet.
Life in New Amsterdam was once all festivals and people avoiding association with organized crime. Life in New Amsterdam these days is full of drama, citywide disturbances, and everything else that might be expected of an action film in progress. While there aren't many answers for what's happened to the Displaced, there is enough chaos going around that it seems like it may be connected to their arrivals.
The worst part is that New Amsterdam seems to struggle. Rather than being an anonymous backdrop to those action films, New Amsterdam is a bustling city full of life that never asked to be at the heart of this. When trouble hits, most repairs and restorations focus on helping those with money, while others are left forgotten living in tents and hoping for a helping hand. Recent circumstances have called for improvements in this area—there is more charitable work than ever before in New Amsterdam—but it's still a trying time.
Where the Displaced stand in all of this varies, but it's hard to ignore a city in trouble.
◉ DISPLACED VERSUS DISPLACED. Whether it's by manipulation of an outside force or through inhaling weird monster gas, sometimes the Displaced are at odds with one another. When some of these few heroes are fighting, it means that the city can be left in even greater danger. Other times, the Displaced might not be able to control themselves. Feeling a sudden surge of vengeance and hoping to follow through on it? That monster gas might be the cause. Want to finish out a nasty deal to get something back important? The monster gas won't be an excuse, but maybe someone can pretend it was. Life as a Displaced is wild sometimes.
◉ THE UNITED NATIONS ARMY. In fact, it's so wild that sometimes they come up against the extremely dangerous soldiers of the UNA. These soldiers are the military arm of the United Nations government. They aren't the average soldier, however. Dressed in thick black armor that acts as an exoskeleton for their bodies, they are basically invulnerable to any and all attacks. When fighting as a unit, they work perfectly in unison, making it so that they can quickly move to deny almost any and all attacks. They're also extremely resistant to any mental or emotional compulsion or manipulation, making them hard nuts to crack. Ready for a bossfight? They're the soldiers for it.
◉ MONSTERS. As for unconventional threats, there are the monsters. These creatures first turned up in giant form when the first batch of Displaced arrived, stomping all over New Amsterdam. The less unique version of the monsters are around 400m high, have lizard-like features, and tend to show up by tearing down a portion of New Amsterdam's city wall. And that's the less unique version. More unique monsters vary in size and make, seeming to be an amalgamation of a number of different creatures. Half-snake, half-dog? Seems odd, but it happens. The one consistent feature of all these monsters is they all have golden irises. Suffice to say that running into these creatures could be a problem.
Feel free to branch out and explore! Visit a doctor about some advanced cybernetics. Sneak through the city checkpoints and set out into the wilderness. Try to hop on a train bound for one of the world's five spaceports to see one of the colonies—though bear in mind the cost and difficulty of one of these joy rides. Experiment with some insect based versions of your favorite recipes. Perhaps you'd prefer to engage in some illegal street racing, spend some time getting used to the technology, or try to become a social media celebrity. Use the SETTING for inspiration and choose your own adventure!
fight club;
Me? Oh, no no no.
( she flaps her hands in quick and obvious denial, ears flattening back against her head. she has a strong accent, a sort of plucky, cheerful, bastardized russian. )
No, I am here purely to observe. You look like you had a good time out there!
no subject
[ Apparently he's not the only one attracting looks in this place. Sharkface laughs, grinning wide. He's never seen anyone quite like this woman and he's seen a fair amount in his day. Body mods, maybe. The legs are definitely prosthetics. Designed for speed, it looks like. He runs a hand through his sweaty hair, looking up at her. ]
It was a good fight.
[ Why not enjoy it a little? ]
no subject
Or maybe you're just unnaturally short.
( maybe she can put him off his guard. it's always more fun that way, dealing with the sorts that she can pull off their balance. )
It looked like a good one. Need someone to kiss your knuckles all better? I'll warn you now, I charge for it.
no subject
Never been called that before. You I like.
[ Hasn't blinked once at his scars. ]
Might even be worth the money.
[ It's easy to slip into play-flirting, like putting on an old glove. Push and grin, see where it goes. There was a time, back when he'd been Ephemera, when he might have meant it. Not anymore, but he can pretend well enough. And if it means a little fun for a moment, something light and easy, then why the fuck not? ]
no subject
I am terrifically likable, it's true.
( her answering smile is broad. her teeth are perhaps a little sharper than a human's, though not by much. )
And it would certainly be worth the money. I'm everyone's best investment.
( she bows to him with a graceful flourish. )
Vandii Rabaaq at your service.
no subject
Confident, aren't you?
[ And the bow is unexpected. He grins, but doesn't return it. ]
I keep meeting interesting people. Call me Ephemera.
no subject
( she reaches out for him, intent on looping her arm through his. she's wearing layers enough that there's no risk to it. clearly, she is about as keen on the empathy bond as anyone else here: which is to say not at all. just about every part of her that runs the risk of being exposed to others is neatly cordoned off behind tight clothes and bright colors. )
Ephemera. 'Something that exists to be enjoyed for a short moment'. For your sake, I hope not too short.
( she's sailed straight past flirting and on into innuendo. )
Buy me a drink?
no subject
[ It would be too obvious if he dodged away again, so he doesn't. But the way he goes suddenly, perfectly still when she takes his arm probably says too much.
He smiles. Shows his teeth. ]
Sure. I just won some money.
[ She's something else. Potentially a threat. Most everyone is. And even if she doesn't try to kill him, she reminds him of home. It's a good lesson. Everyone, eventually, will go for the throat.
Besides, it's been a while since he's had decent alcohol. ]
no subject
( going still isn't unique to predators or prey. both do it, albeit for different reasons. she tugs him along regardless. vandii is used to making fast friends wherever she goes — usually under their duress. he doesn't need to know she'd sooner sell him out than breathe. )
D'you think they have vaddis? I'd straight kill a man for a glass.
no subject
[ It's an easy game, once he falls back into the rhythm of it. The more they talk, the more Vandii reminds him of Felix. Charming, sharp, good with words. But the way she kept on reaching for him, going for touch, sets him on edge and the tension hasn't lessened any; it's just shifted.
Yeah, she talks just like Felix. Moves a bit like him too. Everything just a little too smooth, a little too fast. And if she's anything like Felix, she'll be useful. Dangerous, liable to gut him the moment it strikes her fancy, but useful.
It's a dangerous game. But one he's played before. Only trick is keeping up. ]
Never heard of it. But they have tequila and that does the trick just fine.
[ Her arm is around his. Sharkface doesn't shake it off, though he wants to. Stay the course. See how it plays out. Fight if it comes to that. Would've been better if he had a real weapon. He's got a knife in his boot, but that's not much at all. Not when he's out of armor. But, they in company. Can't go off killing each other in a crowd, not without getting a whole lot of attention. Might as well play the game. See how it goes. See what she wants. ]
no subject
( she'd laugh if she knew what he was thinking — vandii is a coward, born and bred. she'd no sooner fight than fly. her appearance intimidates humans, and she leans into that. but she has nothing of a fighter's spirit or their dangerous grace. built for running, her. it's all she's ever been good for. run, yarelia. oh, but she still is. )
Tequila! Well, it certainly sounds delightful. I daresay I'll partake. You mind doing the ordering?
no subject
[ He smiles and guides her over to the bar. The crowd parts easily enough, more interested in the fight currently raging in the pit than the two of them. No doubt there are eyes on him, but nobody's staring. Good enough for now. She's still got his arm, but that's just the way it shook out. He's got long sleeves on, though no gloves. He can roll with that, though she's probably noticed the low current of tension running through him. The way he hasn't relaxed at all.
Breathe. Don't start a fight.
He whistles to the bartender and orders two drinks, forking over the money. He hasn't got much, but this might be worth it in the long run. Sharkface doesn't know anybody here, not really, and he needs allies. There's no reasonable way to go alone in a place like this. Not when there's too much he doesn't know and he's completely out of armor.
The drinks come quick enough, and he pulls away from her to grab his. Establishing some distance. He doesn't like being touched. It's always meant a threat, always meant the violence is coming, and all they're doing is having a conversation. Getting the lay of the land, sizing each other up.
It's a game. Easy. ]
Bottoms up.
no subject
vandii doesn't like people, but she likes to be liked. it opens up more avenues than you can possibly imagine.
so, she slides in the seat beside him at the bar, letting him have his space, hooking the heel of her prosthetic on the crossbar of the stool. it's hard to tell where the metal ends and her flesh begins, but she's obviously well-used to them. she takes the second of the drinks and knocks it back — iskari metabolize alcohol much, much faster than humans. but the taste is unlike anything she's had before, and she makes such a face upon the liquid hitting her tongue. )
Bottoms up indeed! That is potent. Is it meant to knock you little humans on their rears?
no subject
That's the idea.
[ Vandii claims she's never had tequila before, but she knocks it back like a pro. He can respect that. It's been a while since he's had a drinking buddy, anyway. ]
You know, I've been around the galaxy, but I've never seen anything quite like you. Funny how that happens.
no subject
Well, it's a mighty big galaxy, isn't it?
( she winks at him, and then gives the bartender the signal for two more. oh, she'll pony up this one. )
I'm from a planet called Jhevalghast. In the Dei-san system.
( whether it's true or not doesn't matter. he wants a story, and stories are one of her many specialties. she'll spin him a yarn. )
no subject
[ It's asked mildly, one eyebrow raised. He doesn't mind. It's the expected thing. Meet an alien in a bar, of course there's going to be alcohol. She looks more human than the ones he's met, but that might not mean anything. Like she said, it's a mighty big galaxy. ]
Don't know that one. But I fought the Sangheili back in the day.
[ He tips his head back. Drinks. ]
Tough motherfuckers. Made good booze, too.
[ He fought them. Made friends with a couple after the war ended. Just how it goes. ]
no subject
( she says that with a bit of a purr. leans back into his space, hands braced on the edges of his seat. she crinkles her nose up playfully, like she's about to plant one on him, and then she's back in her own space quick as you please. )
Don't think I've ever met a Sangheili, myself. And I've been a lot of places, so... different sides of the universe, if I had to guess.
( she's never left cassantine. but she was a little girl who dreamed of the stars once, and it's an easy lie to wear. )
no subject
Violence is easy. He knows how to fight in a way he doesn't always know how to talk or stand around other people. In a moment it'll be over, this play-acting, and the brutality will shove everything into easy alignment. It's a relief. He won't have to pretend anymore.
And then she's moving back, easy as you please.
It occurs to him that it might not have been a threat. Or at least not in the way he was expecting.
His smile thins. He doesn't like this anymore. ]
Really.
[ He finishes his drink but holds onto the glass, running his thumb along the edge. He can break it, if he needs to. Use the edge. It'll draw blood if he does it just right. A weapon or a distraction, whatever he needs. ]
What'd you do, Vandii? When you're not talking to strange men.
no subject
the fake eye doesn't draw her attention, but the way he tenses up does. oh, of course she's aware. the twist and sway of it in him, the danger. she may flirt with it as a rule — you live in cassantine and you have to if you like breathing — but her flight instinct is well-honed and very sharp. she beats a tactical retreat out of his space. there's a bit of fear in her now, that sense that she isn't entirely sure she has the upper hand any more. juuvan's voice again. run, yarelia.
she decides to adopt another approach. which means little kernels of truth in and amidst the lies. )
I'm an acquisitions agent! I make it my mission to, ah... acquire rare and valuable artefacts. Which I, of course, sell at a premium to bolder people than myself. In the simplest terms, I run a pawn shop.
no subject
And are you planning on continuing that work here?
[ If she is, then it's worth the risk of staying in proximity to her. Sharkface needs to replace his gear and knows very well he won't be managing that alone. He needs friends, or at least people who find him useful enough to keep around. It's part of the game. That means he can't be a threat to her - or at least not too much of one.
Unbidden, his fingers get the pins and needle feeling where he's holding the glass. Ink blooms out over the surface, spiraling into patterns. Drawing skulls, eyes, eyes in skulls. His power. Such as it is. The designs are sharp and blocky, full of angles. Distinctive. And clearly his style, to anyone who knows his artwork.
Sharkface puts the glass down hard, hating it. Of all the things this place has done to him, this is one of the more insidious. This gift feels mocking; it's utterly useless. He can't use it to fight and it keeps flaring up whenever he puts his hands flat against something and starts thinking too hard.
Foolish. And Vandii's certainly seen. She's too smart to have missed it, or the way he's gone still and tense. So fucking stupid. ]
no subject
Of course! I'm too old by half to be picking up new tricks now! Do what you love until it kills you, right?
( she's escaped death so many times. what is a life but one series of sidesteps around it? the cold, the dark, the wet, the underbelly of cassantine almost claimed her, but she's got her, but old vandii isn't so easily caught or quelled. and despite it all, she likes her work. it keeps a roof over her head and food in her belly and knives more-or-less away from her throat. she placates everyone just enough that no one really wants her dead, and she's spent a lifetime cultivating allies in dangerous places. they all know she'd stab them in the back, but it keeps them honest more than it does her.
her attention shifts. hard to track the pupil with the glow of the golden irises, but she is obviously watching his hand, the glass, the resultant ink with interest. if the glow to his chest didn't give him away, that would. and the una are everywhere.
it's self-interest more than any desire to protect him, souls know she'd throw him to the dogs on a whim and a breath, but she leans in so that the glow of his power's use is muted between their bodies, she puts her arm across his shoulder so her wool vest hangs open and blocks some of it from the crowd beyond. she tips her head down so that her breath is on the shell of his very human ear. )
Fascinating, but perhaps not the best place to indulge, hm?
( there were spies everywhere in cassantine. one learned by needs to avoid or fool them. )
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He flexes his hands. Lays them flat on his knees. ]
Don't do that again.
[ His voice is soft and utterly empty. There's no need to specify a threat. ]
I might have work for you. If you're up for it.
[ It'll go easier if she never touches him again, but Sharkface has worked with worse people; he'll get through it. ]
no subject
but she has the fact that he thinks her dangerous on her side, and so she flexes her fingers on his shoulder before she pulls back. no need to specify a threat, hm? )
Don't do that again.
( a nod to the glass, imprinted as it is now with his mark. but she eases back out of his space. steady hands. if you can't hide your fear, you get eaten alive. no helping the caged-bird flutter of her heart, though. )
You're lucky that I'm the sort that doesn't mind being threatened when I'm only trying to help you. ( matter-of-fact. ) But you're due a mark-up for your boorish paranoia. If you can stomach that, maybe we'll see what Vandii can do for you, hmm?
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[ And there's always a line. It needs to be clear. Can't go on like this. They'll come to an understanding, if not respect. If he keeps letting her come into his space without comment, she'll do it just get a rise out of him. To prove that she can. Sharkface rolls his shoulders, good eye narrowed. There's a knife in his boot, but it would take too long to reach for it. Going for her face would send a message, but they're in a crowd. Too many bystanders. Might get ugly. Hmm.
He picks up the glass in one hand, worrying his thumb at it for a moment. Then, casually, he breaks it. Squeeze. Crunch. Glass shards. Imprecise. Going to cut his hand up something fierce. But it'll work for a sharp edge. He's fast enough to make it matter.
If she tries it again, he'll go for her. No matter how many people are watching. ]
I don't want your help. Your business, maybe. If you're as good as you think.
no subject
(it's a practical thing, really. not much medicine on cassantine. why anyone would risk infection just to prove a point is well and truly beyond her.)
her ears flatten down, little tufts of fur twitching. her voice is a low hiss. )
Genius, your chest glows when you use your blighted power! I'm trying to keep us from being noticed by the UNA! Fuck your personal space when my life is on the line!
( she doesn't wear terror well. it often comes out as anger. if she had her poisons on her, she'd be using one of them about now, that's soul's honest truth. )
cw for self harm
... cw more of the same ig
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