overjoyed_logs | general pre-game catchall

Entry tags:

general pre-game catchall

Who: Handsome Jack + You
Where: Various
When: Also various!
Summary: This is a general catch-all for pre-game activities — If you'd like to do something in particular, feel free to ask!
Restrictions/Warnings: There's a possibility of violence and morally questionable things since they come hand in hand with Jack, but nothing in particular for now.

i. panera breads i've been banned from (semi-OTA) (~3 years ago)

[ You might know Jack, or at least have heard of him. It's not every day a tech-oriented worker actually requests to go work at the Prisoner Intake Facility, so he's not quite as anonymous as he once was. That's especially true considering what had happened a few years prior, and that, if you have any kind of knowledge of the Company and their gossip, whether you're working for them yourself or just a nosy RAC agent is what had given Jack a bit more of a reputation. It's all rumors, and never anything really confirmed, but those rumors were juicy ones. Apparently a few years ago, Jack's boss had tried to get him killed. It had failed, but now? That boss has been missing ever since, and Jack is comfortably sitting in that spot.

So, definitely juicy gossip. Even the Nines would be proud of that kind of political intrigue.

Even so, it wasn't like Jack had escaped completely unscathed. Where most people would simply put their money into a good plastic surgeon, Jack had taken a very different, though unusual route. If you haven't seen him for a while, you're going to run into it today if you're taking a trip to Leith's bazaar. After all, there are a fair amount of people looking at the man wearing an odd, but what certainly seems to be flesh mask over his face. It might not get many glances on Westerley where body modifications are at least frequent enough, but here? It's a little more jarring to the locals.

Maybe Jack catches you staring or maybe he just speaks to you randomly, but either way, you'll be getting a smile that's almost sharp. ]

Man— [ He laughs out that first part, then shakes his head ] I mean, c'mon, I know I'm handsome, but seriously, the stares? Getting to be a liiiittle much. Dontcha think, pumpkin?

ii. get out of my office (for Killjoys) (~1 year ago)

[ If you're a RAC agent, you might have gotten a warrant with an unusual caveat to just how it's turned in. Warrants with caveats come up every once in a while, sure, but it's usually about the job itself. Instead, this one is about just how it's turned in. Instead of the standard processing, it requests that your person be handed off to a particular sector manager at the facility.

At least you don't have to sit in processing long before a man steps through the door with a bright smile. He's a very clearly strange-looking guy from his mismatched eyes to that odd mask that he's wearing, but at least he's friendly...? Maybe. ]

Ahhhh, there you are! Was wondering where you were, buddy. Would have been a shame to miss ya.

[ It might seem like Jack is talking to you at first, but he plops a hand down briefly on your target's shoulder before he takes a seat across the table. His feet are quickly propped up on the table casually, and he pulls the datapad from under his arm as he looks it over. ]

Soooo, Killjoy! What up. Have a good mission? Bust any heads? Nahhh, what am I saying, of course you did! That's what people pay you for.

[ Now he's talking to you apparently, but disarmingly casually as he looks over the records before intake. Is this really the man you were supposed to drop them off with...? ]

iii. wildcard

[ None of the above work? Make a prompt of your own! I'll happily roll with it, and if you have something specific in mind, you can always ask! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ if neither prompt works for you, get in touch with me and I can also write you a custom starter when we talk it over! ]

[ It's a warrant like any other, just a simple "go grab this jackhole for me," kind of thing, and by all appearances, easy enough money. Those warrants tend to go without too much from the buyer, but Handsome Jack isn't just anyone, as Lavi and Kanda will find out. They might know of him, since a manager for the Company that uses the RAC rather frequently is a bit unusual, and Jack also seems to be quite set on making a name for himself. Or maybe he's just not the kind of person you exactly forget.

He'd requested that the pair come meet him in his office, and as soon as they enter, Jack stands from his desk with a wide smile. It's friendly enough, but there's still something of a slight edge to it. It's the kind of smile that makes it immediately apparent that this is someone at least slightly dangerous, but he also seems quite amiable. ]

Right on time. And y'know? I appreciate that. Punctuality is super important for business, and you wouldn't believe how many idiots just do not get that.

[ He's also apparently quite talkative, it would seem... He doesn't approach them or offer to shake their hands, but motions to the seats near his desk. ]

So, c'mon, take a load off. I'm busy, you're busy, so let's get right to business.

[Both walking in behind Lavi and watching a few of the officials argue towards the end of the hall meant Kanda hadn't seen exactly who they'd gone to meet as soon as the door had opened.

Hearing that voice, however, was enough to make his scowl deepen automatically.

Figures, he'd run into that annoying bastard with the scarback issue so soon after finally ditching him in the streets.

Stepping around Lavi, Kanda doesn't move towards the indicated seats - instead, he moves to lean against the wall, where he can see both desk and door, and leans his back lightly against it, arms crossed.]

In that case, quit wasting time and tell us about the warrant, old man.

[Punctual they might be, but on-time doesn't require nice so far as he's concerned.]

[ Rubbing at the back of his neck (anxiously? sheepishly?), Lavi offers an apologetic smile on behalf of his less amiable partner, flashing his pearly whites towards the intake manager. Jack, or "Handsome Jack", isn't a man that he's personally familiar with, but preliminary research and battle-hardened instincts tell him everything he needs to know about the decorum of the meeting.

Which is to say, Lavi intends to keep Kanda and himself on the man's good side if at all possible.

(Step one: overcome Yu's lack of manners.) ]

You'll have to forgive him --

[ He laughs lightly, sliding into one of the seats so graciously offered like a lazy cat, long limbs sprawled out comfortably. ]

He didn't get enough beauty sleep.

[ Those pretty boy looks have a high cost, after all.

Propping his chin in the flat of his palm, the killjoy shoots his partner an askance look of warning, the sort that's likely to go ignored but bears offering anyway. Try not to piss off every Company man you meet. Even if it's funny.. ]

What's the order for today? Is it aliens? [ Or just the usual systemic oppression? ]

[ Jack's smile does slip briefly when Kanda calls him old (he's sensitive about his age, shut up), but it's very quickly brought right back. It may be a bit more edged, but, hey, who's keeping track of that, right? Certainly not Jack, and that's why his response is smooth once Lavi offers an apology. ]

No worries, I get it, princess here looks like the high maintenance type.

[ He has to return the jab, but it's casual enough to at least seem like it's good-natured. In any case, he moves on quickly, and he waves his hand dismissively as he walks to the front of the desk to half-sit on the edge. He still keeps his posture open and casual, just like the way he speaks, but he's evaluating them just as much here. ]

Aliens would be pretty kickass but, nah, nothing like that, sorry kiddos. Probably. They could totally be aliens. By the definition of the word, anyways. Don't know that much about 'em, but the job itself is easy.

[ The way he stresses that word may make them doubt that... The on the surface simplicity of what he requests despite personally inviting them here may add to that too, though. ]

I just need a guy—Gender neutral here, 'cause it's totally a chick—in my facility ASAP.

[Lavi can give him that look all he wants - Kanda just blinks impassively back at his partner. Maybe all these Company men shouldn't be so annoying in the first place. Not his problem when they are--]

--the fuck you calling 'princess'?

[Irritated indignation slips out when Jack's comment registers, his gaze sliding angrily over to focus fully on Jack. His scowl only deepens as the man continues to talk, Jack's words twisting around themselves smooth as honey.

Nothing is ever that simple or that easy with the Company, in his experience. Letting someone tell them otherwise is just a quick means to go into a situation blind.]

So is this an escort warrant, live capture, or tag and bag?

[Be real clear on this one, because it'll determine Kanda's own rules of engagement or use of force. Lethal or detain?]

Princess?

[ The voice is almost neutral, almost innocent, the edges of laughter just nearly tucked in as Lavi's eyebrows draw up. Princess. There are very few people willing to challenge Kanda to his face, let alone deliver such a nickname so casually..

It's in this moment that Lavi decides he rather likes Jack, so far as Company men go. It's going to be a shame if he ever has to shoot him.

Containing his expression with the discipline of a saint, the redhead adjusts his position to tilt his head slightly at the man in question, one winged brow raised.

Adding to Kanda's line of questioning: ]

And what makes them so special that you'd rather bypass your loyal intake guards and bring them straight to you? Intel? Special technology? Wait, don't tell me--

[ It's casual, seemingly careless in its delivery, and he follows it with an equally nonchalant laugh. He doesn't particularly expect an answer: it's not, after all, required, but he's not keen to let Jack think that they're going to ignore just how unusual the circumstances are, either. ]

She's really really hot?

[ Jack's smile turns to a cocky smirk, and rather than respond to Kanda's question verbally, he just shoots some fingerguns at him playfully. That one is all for you, Kanda! And, look, your partner even seems to appreciate it. This proves to Jack that he is hilarious and that Kanda is just a stick in the mud. The latter may be true, but jury's out on the former.

He waits for both of their questions, but Lavi's gets him to genuinely laugh. Because it amuses him, that's of course the question he ends up responding to first. ]

Y'know, actually, since you ask? Yeah, she's a... Ehhh, I'll give her a 7 outta 10 here! So, yeah, pretty good! But, problem is, while I wish I could be saying "deliver this letter telling her to come over to my place pronto," she's also a scumbag criminal. Kinda loses points for that. So. To your other questions here.

[ He gestures broadly and a bit showily, but it's just because Jack speaks with his hands. It matches his animated personality, really. ]

What makes her special? Well. She murdered someone's kid. Who, doesn't matter, that's my problem, not yours. Because think of me as a middleman for the little guys. The RAC charges the kinda premimum for kill warrants that basically takes that option away from this part of the Quad. Which! Not saying that's a bad thing, don't get me wrong here, like, most of- Most of those kill warrants y'all pick up? Dangerous people. So I get it. Big money for big baddies. But the little ones? They slip through the cracks. So here I am here to cover those up those little gaps.

[ He pulls a datapad out of his pocket and fiddles with it until a profile comes up, which he hands to whichever of them wants to take it. It's just a simple profile on the woman they're going to catch, so it seems like Jack has already done the homework portion. ]

Alive. And when you bring her in, ask intake to call me. I'll be putting her in my sector.

[Shooting them both in a non-fatal spot sounds vastly appealing to Kanda just then. He even spends the next few minutes picturing the best place and method possible to accomplish this oh-so-satisfying task as the two idiots rate the woman's apparent 'hotness'.

He'll take more time with Lavi, though, just for encouraging the old man's apparent sense of humor.

It's almost gratifying, just imagining it, until the real details are threaded into the conversation. So this woman was a kid-killer? To be brought straight to Jack's personal care?

...sounds like the Company was getting back into the torture or experimentation game, again. (If the bastards ever even left).

Stepping forward, Kanda takes the datapad, glances it over seemingly carelessly, and then wordlessly hands it off to Lavi. Jack, however, gets a narrow-eyed glare. ]

You can't just go to Utopia. That place is invite only, old man. Cover stories that get us in there are going to cost you extra.

[ He's just going to pretend he didn't hear a Company official imply that this was a delayed execution order, more or less.

It doesn't really matter to him if it is, anyway. It's out of their hands once they complete the warrant, whether or not that person deserves it--that's for someone else to decide.

(Not, he absently thinks, for a manager at Intake, but the role of a bookman isn't to intervene unnecessarily. Only to observe. He makes a mental note to investigate the mortality rate of prisoners later, should time permit.)

Accepting the datapad, Lavi's face lights up like a kid on a pagan holiday, excitement visibly bubbling up in him. Utopia? The Utopia? He hasn't been there since he was nineteen, and oh man, the girls-- ]

We'll do it.

[ Sorry, Kanda. Hormones. ]

I mean--

[ He pauses, considering how likely Yu is to string him up, calculates the risk, then solidifies his decision. ]

Yeah, we'll do it. [ Have you seen what the women there wear? Yu already likes to wear black, it'll be great. ]

[ Jack's expression stays level at Kanda's point, but it turns into more of a self-satisfied when Lavi is the one to accept without much question. Did Jack know about the dynamic between the two here and request them for that reason? It's a mystery that will forever go unanswered, because with at least half of a go ahead, that's more than enough for Jack. ]

Perfect, I'm- I mean, I knew ya would! This is easy money. Why would you turn it down, right?

[ He sits back comfortably as he snickers, but he shrugs as his amusement fades just a touch for the sake of getting to business. ]

But, yeah, I know. I was gonna try and have this not go through you guys, buuuut that wasn't gonna pan out. So. Cover stories it is. How much more extra are we talkin', just for ref here?

[Kanda is liking this job less and less - primarily because 'easy money' usually translates into 'forgot to give killjoys critical information and expensive damages ensues' as a result.

So if that's the case - and since Lavi's already accepted for them - Kanda shoot's his partner a glare and then immediately steps on Lavi's foot warningly as he transfers the look to Jack and rest his hands on his weapons, fingers tapping lightly on the hilt of his dagger.]

Five-hundred joy.

[Gotta start somewhere, and they're going to have to pull some strings to get into Utopia.]

Ow!

[ Look, Kanda. Cultural excursion and babes. How could Lavi not immediately jump at this opportunity? His Bookman cred demands it, and there's all sorts of social implications to accepting this job offer.

(But most importantly, there are women in tight, short leather dresses.

Look, he's twenty-one. Scholar or not, he's twenty-one.)

Fortunately, he's not so dazzled by the prospect of said women that he fails to miss the negotiating aspect of the meeting, and passing the datapad back to Jack, he adds lightly-- ]

Per. Utopia has some of the best forgers in the galaxy. You need top notch work for them.

[ Sure, he already has the credentials for it, but those are bookman related, and slipping into another persona is harder work than you'd think. Plus, if he's going to inadvertently let Jack play judge and jury, he wants some shinier toys out of it that come with a higher payoff. ]

Done.

[ There's no argument, no questioning of the amount at all. Jack just smoothly gives the asked price without complaint as casually as if the money doesn't matter to him. It's half true, since most of that fee was coming out of the Company's pockets more than his, but the other half knew that if things didn't go well, the Company would definitely want that Joy back. Luckily, Jack has confidence here. It's not strictly in them so much as it's confidence in his own judgement, but it's enough for him to take the datapad with a smile. ]

But, at least come up with something juicy, alright? I'm gonna be a little pissed if I'm passing out all this money and I don't even get a good story coming back.

[Kanda’s twenty-one, too, oh mighty scholar, and you don’t see him acting a fool over women in tight clothes now do you?

This thought is clear in the exasperated look he shoots Lavi before turning that look on Jack. A thousand extra joy, and this guy doesn’t even bat a lash? The Company has some really messed up people in high places, doesn’t it?

It’s almost enough to make him feel sorry for the woman. Almost, but not quite because even knowing that Jack’s probably going to do something despicable like torture - or, hell, hire their target, he doesn’t really care about the Company. He hates them just as much for being an extension of the Nine as he hates the military for playing god, trying to break the human code at the behest of those same Nine.

Hell, they do this enough, and eventually one of these targets is going to make the Company burn and won’t that be an interesting day?

For now, however, he just sneers at Jack and steps back to give Lavi room to stand. ]

Send it up front, old man, and we’ll get started. Storytime isn’t part of the warrant, though, so make your own shit up.

[ "Some of us aren't broken inside, Kanda. Some of us still have hope."

If Lavi were capable of actual telepathy with his partner, that thought would be the return to the exasperated look, but as it is, he just offers a mild ~~kanye~~ shrug. The redhead has his own reasons for indifference to the details of the warrant, and though they're decidedly less emotional than Yu's, they're no less cold.

So he doesn't bat an eyelash, either, when Jack doesn't haggle or protest. If anything, he only regrets that they didn't ask for a higher payoff when there might have been more wriggle room. Lessons for a later time, perhaps.

Rising to his feet, he chuckles softly to his partner's quick reply, waving a hand over his shoulder. ]

Buy me a drink sometime and I'll tell you stories wilder than you can imagine. But he's right.

[ One arm slung around Kanda's shoulders to not so gently encourage him to leave and resist the urge to argue with their current client, Lavi adds with a suggestive grin: ]

We're paid not to kiss and tell, not the other way around.

You got it. Let me just...

[ Jack trails off as he focuses his attention more on his datapad to transfer the necessary funds. It seems like they might be blissfully free of conversation for a few moments, since he falls into a silence of concentration, but no, of course they're not that lucky. After he gets past confirming his credentials, there's less concentration required, so he snickers. ]

Fair enough about the not sharing thing, but, hey, if you do a good job and you're serious? Sure. I'm always down for wild stories, buddy. I'd invite your partner but he doesn't seem the drinking type.

[ a pause, and then he adds: ]

Okay, no, take that back, he might be. But, like, the brooding alone over whiskey kind. Not the fun social kind.

[Not only does Kanda drink, but his ability to heal so quickly actually makes getting drunk pretty difficult.

He's been able to drink full grown adults under the table since he was fifteen.

Not that he's going to tell Jack that. As a matter of fact, he starts to look back, between his shoulder and where Lavi's currently hanging off him, with a fierce glare at the older man.]

Fu--mmph!

[Barely does the first hint of the phrase leave his lips before he feels Lavi's gloved hand smother the words quite firmly. He's just going to transfer that glare to his partner now.

'Fuck you, go die' should be a legitimate phrase to an annoying warrant holder. Especially after they'd already accepted the job and the bastard kept talking shit.]

[ There's something to be said about a well-worn partnership--when you know the person you work with so well that you don't have to consciously think about preventing them from telling someone to fuck off. As soon as he feels Kanda start to turn, he brings a hand up, trapping that vulgar mouth and painting the usual smile on his.

Laughing over the grumbled sounds of Kanda's muffled cursing, Lavi bows his head slightly to Jack, waving lightly. ]

Definitely the brooding type. We'll send confirmation when we're done.

[ One sharp look to meet the glare being sent his way and they turn, exiting stage left. There's probably a cacophony of not so muffled curses not so long after that.

(Lavi really needs to look into a new line of work. Maybe he can open a book shop somewhere. A nice, quiet book shop.) ]

[ While the facility itself is hardly new to him, it hasn't exactly been long since the incident as it's being coyly called. Sure, his boss is missing after a (failed) assassination attempt on Jack's life, but he had nothing to do with that. Or at least, that's definitely what he tells people, and it's what people believe unless they want to find out the hard way that Jack is willing to be a little more ruthless in climbing the corporate ladder nowadays. He rubs at his mask idly, since the synthetic not-quite-flesh still sits oddly on his face, but he's getting used to it. Better this than showing the scar underneath, right? He wouldn't be Handsome Jack with a marred face, now would he?

He looks at the files before him for new intakes with idle interest, since it's work, but it's boring. Scumbag, murderer, Westie, illegal, the list goes on, and it's standard kinds of stuff. He's about to delegate to an intern when a file catches his eye, and his eyebrows shoot up in interest. ]

Crimes against humanity— Wow. That- That is a new one.

[ Jack chuckles as he stands up, since with a rap sheet like that, he's gotta say, he's intrigued. He walks down towards intake as he reads, and initially, his interest was only idle. It's a slow day and he doesn't have anything better to do, so why not go check out the newest big name to go and rot in the mines? Though he keeps reading, and it catches his interest just a bit more. He pauses outside the room where the guy is being held, then taps his fingers against the hinge on his temple thoughtfully before a smile comes to his face.

You know, it might just be a waste, he thinks. And that thought is enough for him to be a bit more than simply curious.

Jack opens the door where Akemi is waiting, and he motions for the guards to leave before he takes a seat casually in front of him. ]

Wow— Y'know, kiddo, with a sheet like this? You don't exactly fit the bill. Lookswise, I mean. Usually when people are boasting this kinda sheet? Waaaaaay scarier. Just gotta say.

PRISONER #: D504-2389   NAME: URUSHIBARA, AKEMI   CITIZENSHIP: LEITH
WARRANT DESCRIPTION:  Level 3 warrant issued by Leith security forces 
for crimes against humanity.  Target is suspected of illegal human 
experi-mentation and modification, including use of own daughter as a test 
subject.Human remains found in target's laboratory are pending 
identification, but a possible connection to recent missing persons 
cases is suspected. Requesting transfer to secure psychiatric facility 
to await criminal processing.

[Bored. Akemi is bored. He's already exhausted the (admittedly limited) inventory of amusing things he can do with his hands bound behind his back, and boredom is beginning to tickle the edges of his mind like mold spores consuming a piece of fruit. He can feel his brain rotting. He's already endured 3 days in RAC custody - almost 0.010 percent of the average human lifespan. He can't afford to waste this kind of time.

He'd spent his first few hours at the Prisoner Intake Facility among the general population, but even the most hardened criminals don't take kindly to people who harm children (an accusation that Akemi hotly debates). So now he's in solitary, where he can't even enjoy the dubious entertainment of watching hokk-heads try to ferment prison rations into something vaguely alcoholic. At least they have some appreciation for the value of science, which is more than Akemi can say for the university system on Leith.

Although his prison stay has been brief, he's already heard of the so-called "Handsome Jack" who runs the facility. Akemi raises an eyebrow as a strange-looking man enters the room and takes the chair across from him. A mask of waxy synthetic skin is pulled taut across his face - handsome indeed. Akemi regards him with a grin through the disheveled strands of dyed red hair that partially obscure his eyes.]

Is that supposed to be a compliment, Handsome Jack? Do you mean the "crimes against humanity" bit? Come on, that's an exaggeration. It was 20 or 30 people, max. That's hardly "humanity." It's not like I committed genocide or anything. Science sometimes demands sacrifices, but that would just be wasteful.

[He sits up a little straighter and tries to pop his shoulders, which have grown uncomfortably stiff from the restraints.]

You know, I'd normally consider bondage to be more of a second date thing, wouldn't you? You could at least buy me dinner first.

Edited 2016-12-08 00:24 (UTC)

Nahhh, if it I was a compliment, you would know it. My compliments are incredible because, I mean- [ He laughs, then waves a hand dismissively. He has the datapad in front of him, but he's watching Akemi more than anything else. He's casual in how he carries himself, but the way he looks at Akemi is sharper. It's like he's taking in and remembering every detail, but that kind of attention is easily overlooked with how it contrasts against his demeanor. ]

Ehh, forget it, not why I'm here. Because, yeah, it's the crimes against humanity thing. Hell, usually when people with a rap like that come walking through here? It's- Hah, well, it's in a bag. Blood and guts kinda dripping everywhere. I mean, had a guy come in yesterday in a shopping bag. Totally had a hole in it, actually, and janitorial found a toe in the cargo bay. Still only find nine though.

[ He murmurs the last part to himself more than anything else, but then shifts to cross his arms at the comment. ]

Look, sweetheart, I am flattered, but I don't mix business and playtime. So no dinner, and no getting out of the restraints either. Just FYI, so you can go ahead and give up on that one.

[ He waves a hand vaguely and dismissively ]

Anyways, my point with the toe thing here-- Usually we get people like you in pieces. Or buckets. Take your pick. Usually people want you dead. Caught my eye that you're decidedly not. And, y'see, crimes against humanity, that's prettyyyyy bad, like, the kinda thing you're gonna end up with a shank right in your gut bad. But. Call me intrigued. What kinda science were you sacrificing for?

...Ahahaha!

[Akemi throws his head back and laughs like he's just heard the funniest joke in the world. When he rights himself, the hair has fallen from his face and there's a dangerous, manic gleam in his eyes.]

Ah, but that's where you're wrong! You should always mix business and playtime. We humans were born to play, weren't we? Everything we learn during childhood is via experimentation, imitation, entertainment... in other words, it's through play that we expand our minds. But then we become adults, and we stop having fun...

[He slumps, manic energy dwindling fast. He really could go for dinner, date or not. It's been a while since anyone's bothered to feed him.]

What was I supposed to do when three heavily armed killjoys broke into my lab? Fight back? The logical option was surrender, so that's what I did. I suspect that it was my own fearful, small-minded colleagues who reported me... they said I'd "crossed a line." But there can't be any lines in science! Lines become walls, and walls become prisons...

[He smiles again, somewhat unfocused.]

I'm pushing the boundaries of humanity, Jack. Why should we be limited by our bodies and our brains? I could take your mind apart and put it back together however I like. Why should we be limited by laws, or morals, or society? Why should we be limited by which dirty little terraformed rock we were born on when I can create worlds inside the human mind? Why does anyone care about meaningless deaths when I can create lives?

[ Jack's energy seems to subside too, but his own is for very different reasons. He's evaluating, after all. Every once in a while, a warrant would come through for some moron that'd gotten into some shit, but their "resume" as it was actually impressed him. And if there was something Jack was very good at, even if it was an understated skill, it was seeing talent in other people. It wasn't necessarily because he admired other's talents, though. As he listens, it's not even hard to see where he stands with that on his face.

He looks for use in other people.

So he listens quietly, drinking in every word, because each bit provides a detail he needs. The skill, that was one thing, and on skill alone, yeah, he could probably recommend the guy to get conveniently snatched up by the Company. But skill wasn't it. There had to be more than that, because skill didn't mean much when it wasn't accompanied with other personality traits that Jack found useful too. ]

Oh, yeah, got that answer for you real easy. Because it is batshit crazy, one. I mean-- Look, just objectively speaking here? The whole "oh man morals don't apply" thing? Totally nutso. Like, that's the kinda talk where coming from the wrong mouth? Ohhh man, I put guys like that in the very tops of the mines so they die slow. But. We're still evaluating that aspect. I am.

[ He smiles in a way that's full of charisma unfitting for the moment, so it's much more like a wolf's smile. ]

But, will admit, there is a line there. Ambition, drive, that's all positive. People that strive for innovation, I mean, hell, that's admirable. Plenty of people innovate every goddamn day, and y'know, under questionable circumstances, most likely. Don't question that, do we? But there's a difference there. You know what it is?

[ It seems like a leading, rhetorical question, but Jack does pause. He genuinely wants to hear what Akemi's answer might be. ]

Ooh, death threats and intimidation. Just like in the holo movies! This is fun. I feel like a real criminal now!

[He leans back in his chair, insouciantly balancing it on two legs. With no way to catch himself, Akemi is in for a hard fall if he isn't careful. He licks his cracked lip and smirks. He's dehydrated and exhausted from days spent in the killjoy's holding cell, but his eyes are sharp and alert. Akemi observes Jack like a scientist studying a strange new organism, taking mental note of his behavioral quirks. Getting out of here will require convincing this man that he's more useful alive than dead.]

But I don't really care if it's a quick death or a slow one. Dying here at 30 or dying in a nursing home when I'm 120 - what's the difference? I want to make death obsolete, so it's as out of fashion as that suit you're wearing.

Anyway, if we're talking about what separates me from second-rate vivisectionists... in purely practical terms, the difference is that they're employed by interplanetary corporations making billions of joy, while I'm just an academic working off a measly research grant from the University of Leith. It all comes down to joy in the end, doesn't it?

[He smiles again, beatific and unsettling.]

I told you, didn't I? We humans exist to play. Everyone's looking for joy, in some sense.

Oh- Oh, sorry, is that what that came off as? Nahhh, wasn't the intention, buddy! Just giving you the lay of the land here. If I was doling out death threats— [ He points a finger at Akemi like a gun ] It'd be with my hands around your neck. I don't threaten.

[ And this is probably why the guards were dismissed, since technically, this kind of threatening from a sector manager is frowned upon, but maybe Jack was something of an exception here. Whether it's reputation, skill, or something else, it seems like he's able to get away with a bit more.

Though there's certainly a hint to that with a subtle shift of his expression when Akemi says "obsolete." There's interest in Jack's expression that's a bit less casual. There's investment there, but his expression is still schooled and careful. He doesn't seem shy about expressing himself, but there's still no illusions for him that he's dealing with someone potentially dangerous, and certainly someone he considers below him. Any criminal would be, after all. ]

Sure, comes down to Joy. Joy makes the friggin' Quad go round, so, y'know, can't escape it, now can you? Especially- I mean, especially not after ending up here. Assuming you leave, no university is gonna take you back, right? Shame. Sounds like you're super into that research. And, I mean, might be total bullshit! But what do I know?

[ Jack sets the datapad down on the table as he turns it off, apparently not needing it anymore. ]

But. You really believe in that research of yours? I mean, scale from one to "would ironically die for it," how important is it to you? Just curious.

[Ahh, now that's more like it. If he's going to die anyway, Akemi wouldn't mind dying with Jack's hands around his neck. It sounds more fun than the mines, at least. Maximum difficulty level, one life, no save points - the real world is just like a VR game now, but with better graphics and haptic feedback!

Jack is mid-game-boss tier at best. If Akemi loses here, he never even had a shot at the final boss... so there's nothing to lose. He abruptly rights himself, metal chair clanging against the metal floor as he sits up straight.]

What did I tell you about death? It's obsolete. With my technology, you could live a hundred different lifetimes. You could know everything there is to know, experience everything there is to experience...

In Akemi's file, it says that he kept his daughter, Lily, imprisoned for seven years as he used her - and dozens of other unwilling subjects - to conduct bizarre research into brain implants and neural reprogramming. It says that his daughter was found in a state of extreme neglect, having never felt the light of the sun, or been to school, or felt any sort of love or affection. But none of that is true! He'd given her everything: beautiful worlds of his own creation where she'd lived as a princess, a queen, a living goddess. She had never been imprisoned - her mind had been freed from the ugliness and banality of the real world. And in time, he would have even freed her from death. That's the love that Akemi has for his daughter. That's the love that he has for the human race.]

If I wanted an ironic death, I'd ask you to kill me right here. You dismissed the guards, didn't you? Make it something really ironic so we can both get a good giggle out of it.

[He sighs, pausing a moment before continuing.]

How important is this research to me? I'm doing this so I can give my daughter a better world. Do you have kids, Jack? If you do, then you know how many lives I'd give for this.

[ Jack watches gaze still sharp as he listens, because he's searching for something here in Akemi's words. Truth be told, that little caveat in his file was also probably part of the reason that Jack was here. It disgusts him that someone would do something so heinous to their own daughter, but that's what makes this meeting truly ironic. Both of these men, these fathers, they've deluded themselves into believing that all of their sins will be to create a better world for their daughters. If it happens to benefit them along the way, then that's just a happy accident, right?

Jack stands as Akemi speaks of an ironic death, and it almost seems like he might fulfill that request. He has half a mind to, but having that question posed stays his hand. His response is a laugh at first, dismissive and callous, and in that, it might seem like a solid "no." Jack doesn't exactly have the personality of a family man, at least not at work. It's just as much because of his work that his daughter is kept a secret, since there are plenty of people that he's wronged that might use an innocent girl just to hurt him. Her isolation is for her safety. That's always been obvious, since the Company doesn't hesitate to hurt family if they have to, and being here? Oh, some psychopath would absolutely take the chance. He's sure of that. ]

Ah, ah, ah-- We're not talkin' me here. We are talking you.

[ He walks to the water cooler in the corner and fills up a simple paper cup. It's his first peace offering, because his interest has definitely been caught here. He walks back and sets it on the table, not handing it to Akemi, because there's a weight and meaning in Akemi taking it for himself here. ]

But, hey, family's a good motivation! Really keeps your eyes ahead, right? Useful stuff. You'd think what with the contracts coming to an end relatively soon, people would be wayyyy better at that, but, nope. I get plenty of short-sighted idiots ending up right where you are. [ He half-sits on the desk's edge, still casual, but he's getting more of what he'd been looking for here, and so he's getting to his point too. ] So, family man. Let's say I were to put your resume—so to speak here—on a few important desks. No promsies here. Not everyone is going to want to take on some batshit crazy asshole that ends up slated for the pit. But. If someone did—hypothetically here—you could keep stepping towards that better world.

[Akemi eyes the paper cup with a combination of suspicion and undisguised longing. Something he said must have changed Jack's tone, if only slightly, but damned if he can figure out what it was. Handsome Jack doesn't really seem like the family type, and nor does he seem like he's overly concerned with the next evolution of the human race. Whatever it was that piqued his fickle interests, Akemi doesn't intend to let it go to waste.

For a moment, he thought that Jack might actually kill him... and for a moment, Akemi felt an ice cold shiver of primal fear run down his spine like proof that he's still human. Ah, so that part of himself is still there after all. What kind of person would he have become if he'd embraced his humanity instead of seeking to transcend it?

Probably someone really boring.]

That's quite an offer, Handsome Jack. I won't pretend I'm not interested.

[There had been a point Akemi's life when he would have flat-out refused an offer to work for the Company, but that had also been a point in his life where he wasn't bound and awaiting transfer to a secure mental rehabilitation center (AKA a mining labor camp run by psychologists, which is somehow even more insulting than a normal labor camp). So even though he opposes the Company's stifling restrictions on human modification, the idea of 1.) not dying and 2.) not having to worry about stingy research grant boards does hold some appeal.]

But what's in it for you?

What, it's not obvious?

[ Jack laughs, and it's a sharp, barking kind of laugh, but it's not malicious. Actually, the fact that Akemi is considering seems to please him, though his way of showing that isn't exactly normal. He speaks with his hands more as he continues, gesturing grandly to match the kind of ambition in his words here. ]

Same thing you want. I want to change the world! Well- Not juts the world, but the Quad. All of it. But I'm not a friggin' moron. I can't do it alone, one. And I'm not looking to start any kind of revolution here. [ He almost spits the word "revolution" out, so that sentiment seems to be genuine in its distaste. ] I know the path to the kinda world I want. And that path is putting people in the Company where I can use them. Simple, right?

...So you want to use me?

[Akemi almost sneers. If he'd wanted to be used, then he could have taken a corporate job right after graduation. Instead, he'd stayed true to his ideals... not out of integrity, but out of pure egotism.

But Jack just might - might - have an even bigger ego than he does, and even Jack has recognized the fact that overturning an entire star system isn't a one-man job. Even the Resistance, with countless members spread across three worlds, has done little more than cause minor inconvenience for the Nine.

Akemi can use Jack, too. He can use that grandiosity, that ambition, that charm... Jack is a big man, both in personality and stature, and he'll cast a broad shadow that can hide Akemi's plans. There's no reason why the arrangement can't benefit them both.

So instead of sneering, Akemi smirks.]

...Fine, then. If this works out, I'll be your agent within the Company's scientific division. [He shrugs with a laugh.] I'd shake on the deal, but... you know. I'm a little tied up at the moment.

Use is such a strong word. I'd say "mutually benefit."

[ In response to that almost-sneer, Jack's smile is honeyed and easy. After all, he's the one bargaining with more power here and he knows it. He's offering Akemi an out, and it's completely his choice on whether to take it, just like the water. It doesn't particularly hurt Jack if he refuses. It makes things way easier, actually. The dude goes towards the bottom of the mines, and chances are? Next time Jack sees him, it'll be on an autopsy report. He's being generous here, because even if he loathes working with criminals, he's not an idiot that's going to throw away talent.

Just, you know. He might be keeping a very sharp eye on all of Akemi's activities if he accepts. If the guy didn't have a medical background, he'd consider something like a bomb in his face to ensure his loyalty, but, eh... That was a bit much. And experimental, if he's honest.

But, hey, maybe it'll be less experimental with this guy owing him a debt. Jack smiles more, confident and self-assured when Akemi accepts, and he shrugs. ]

Yeah, can't do anything about that one. I'll take the handshake in spirit, buddy.

[ It's no guarantee, after all. It's just a "I'll see what I can do," and Jack never shakes on something that he's not completely sure of. Despite his... Everything, he's a surprisingly genuine businessman. ]

But, hey, glad to hear it! And really, you'll see that being my "agent"—which, for the record, bad term here—comes with a lotta benefits. That's the mutually beneficial part of this deal. You work for me? I look out for you. Easy. I look out for my people way more than the Company as a whole does.

[He leans back as comfortably as he can, trying to project confidence he doesn't quite feel. He knows he can provide valuable information and intervention if Jack can get him into a Company position and keep the warrant-hunters off his back. Akemi excels at working behind the scenes to ensure that things go his way, and for now at least, his way and Jack's way seem to be pointing in roughly the same direction.

Jack himself is an unknown quantity, though, and that uncertainty takes this from a game to a gamble.]

Well, I wasn't expecting this to turn into a job interview, but here we are. When do I start, Boss?

Not up to me, sadly. If it were? Ppppprobably like, I dunno, tomorrow? But. The whole idea is that this isn't a guarantee, cupcake.

[ Jack's smile reaches to his eyes for a moment, like he's really enjoying this exchange, but it's not very clear why. Despite being so expressive, he can be somewhat hard to read if only because the way Jack thinks is a unconventional. His trains of thought are definitely hard to follow, and that could be why he talks so much.

Or it could be that he just likes the sound of his own voice.

Take your pick. ]

But! You're in luck, since I've got a guy that's lookin' for a guy like you and also owes me a favor, so, y'know, chances are good. Corporate relations, baby. So optimistically... A week? Ish?

[Akemi sighs. A whole week.]

Fine. Assuming that I don't die of boredom by then. There's only so long that I can bet on cockroach races and try to imagine pictures in the stains on the walls of my cell before I go crazy, you know?

[He snorts, but returns Jack's momentary smile. He actually likes Jack, despite himself. Oh, he has no doubt that the prison administrator would snap his neck without a second thought if felt like it, but at least Akemi knows where he stands with a man like that. Fresh from betrayal at the hands of his own colleages, he appreciates someone who at least has the audacity to stab him in the front.

He'll wait a few years before he tracks down Lily and takes her back. There are undoubtedly plenty of people in the Quad who are far better suited to raising a 7-year-old than he is, after all. And when he finds the person who took his daughter, he'll be sure to thank them profusely for all they've done.

But for now, he has a job to do.]

Well, Jack... I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship~

Yeah, wah, wah, woe is you for getting caught, cry more.

[ There's an alliance here, but Jack isn't exactly dismissing Akemi's crimes either. He's acutely aware of them, and there's certainly a sense that if Akemi steps too far out of the confines that Jack has in mind here, he'd be likely to pay for it, but Jack exudes that kind of impression naturally.

But even so, the comment doesn't have any real bite (comparatively speaking), and his smile is still charming and jovial. ]

But that, you can at least be sure of. Things work out? It'll be good for both of us. [ Jack stands again and heads to the door to tap on it before he steps aside. The guards return, and Jack gives Akemi a playful little salute. ] So. You probably won't see me again for a while, but things pan out, these guys will come get ya. So, good luck, buddy.

[The only thing worse than playing sheepdog and rounding up escaped convicts is playing sheepdog in harsh summer sun while wearing an outfit comprised entirely of black, black, and even more black.

At least the Leithians in the bazaar are all too happy to step aside at her approach, no doubt in careful avoidance of all the grime currently clinging to her clothes. (The Leithians here might not be Nine in a true sense of the word, but their pride runs just as deep.) No one running yet though, but of course there wouldn't be. That would make things too easy. Other things that would be too easy? That the man staring sharply at her also happens to be the man she's looking for.

She manages a polite smile in return, though there's not an ounce of good humor to it. (There's nothing she hates more than endearments.)]

I always thought most men enjoyed the undivided attention of a crowd.

[Except, of course, any man not wishing to be found. She keeps her eyes on him, trying to untuck the niggle of familiarity that stirs at the back of her mind.]

[ His immediate response is a laugh, but no worries. If Riza isn't for giving endearments, Jack will give them in excess. Or maybe he's just an genuinely animated and amiable person. Either way, he's definitely more likely to respond to things positively than negatively. ]

Oh- I mean, yes, but there's gotta be some preamble to it. I mean, I get the stares, I get it, I'm gorgeous, but c'mon, I should do something to earn it.

[ Is he joking, or is he really that arrogant... A Mystery. (He's really that arrogant.) He flashes a smile, then shrugs casually as he shakes his head. ]

Alternately here, I'm realizing that maybe people are not quite used to totally standard and totally normal modifications. [ He taps the hinge of the mask on his chin. ] Which also, weird, because I have seen waaaaaaaay weirder. I see way weirder on the daily.

[Ah.....

Just because she deals with egotistical peacocks on a daily basis doesn't mean she approves of them, so her lips are quick to quirk downwards in distaste at his easy breezy ~~beautiful Covergirl~~ words. More importantly though—there's actually something of worth in all that poppycock. Maybe it isn't directly related to her task at hand, but he can't be throwing out that lead for absolutely nothing.]

Is that so? A regular feature of your day job?

[Assuming he even has one and isn't just skulking about for no good reason.

Around them, the crowd ebbs and flows, patrons relaxing a hair now that the strange man with the flesh mask seems to be occupied with someone else rather than them.]

Edited 2016-12-12 23:12 (UTC)

[ He breathes out a partial laugh, but it comes with a nod. He can tell that she's not really buying into his arrogance here, but that's not exactly new. It's the standard reaction, but Jack has confidence in himself. Probably unwarranted confidence, but confidence all the same. ]

Oh, yeah, for sure. Like- This is nothing compared to some of the mods I see come through.

[ Jack thinks about offering his hand for a shake as they go into introductions, but decides against it. It might go against the image he's going for now. ]

Handsome Jack. [ He gives the name and the odd "title" casually, then nods. ] Sector manager at the Prisoner Intake Facility. So. Yeah. Real weirdos are a part of the day to day.

[The irony of the moniker's not lost on her, but perhaps more importantly neither is the name nor his occupation. She'd have to be deaf and blind not to heard of Jack (or perhaps just downright obtuse), though she never would have imagined to meet him out in idyllic bazaars of Leith.

Her posture doesn't change much - still stiff, still on guard - but there's new recognition clearly present on her face now.]

You're a long way from Old Town then, sir. Are you on vacation?

[She might be Company, but she's also military and some old habits die harder than others. He might not be her direct boss but he's still got more sway in Company operations than she does.]

[ Jack shrugs, but it's with a light laugh. ]

Ehhh, something like that. Probably more business trip than vacation, but I can take my enjoyment with work too. If the Company will send me on an all expenses paid trip to Leith, I'd be a friggin' idiot to not kick back and relax, right?

[ It's a bit more careful of an answer than it might seem on the surface, since he doesn't necessarily want to reveal too much of the business aspect. He's open and earnest, and the way he talks reflects that, but it also helps to mask a bit of caution. When talking to fellow folks in the Company, it never hurts to err on the side of caution. ]

What about you? You stuck out here for the season?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

general pre-game catchall

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for lavi + kanda

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i, rolls in here late like the feeble old tumbleweed i am

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