overjoyed_logs | pre-game catchall dumpster

[ Royce is no stranger to taking a little extra from the houses and buildings he's assigned jobs at. He makes a pretty good living off his clients, but sometimes, a guy just needs a bit extra so he can go win big at the shadiest gambling joint in Westerley. He doesn't have trouble getting in - he's got the goods and he's got the past - but what does happen is some drunk, burly guy decides that Royce has cheated him out of winning a round. And okay granted, yes, Royce did, but the guy has no proof, and Royce is pretty damn good at playing innocent.

Of course, that doesn't stop him from getting chased halfway across the casino. Royce is small and quick on his feet, but this guy chasing him is laser focused, apparently - which is why security will find Royce clambered up on top of a random machine, out of the guy's reach, staring down at him with no intention of getting down.

Said burly guy is about ready to throw glasses in order to get Royce down. It sure is a sticky situation. ]

Edited 2017-02-07 03:10 (UTC)

[ Ah yes, a random bar in Westerley - one of the less grubby ones, since Royce likes to be somewhat professional. He's not necessarily allowed on Leith without paying out the ass for transportation and a person to look the other way, so he's arranged for Jack to meet him here. He's got the information that Jack requested stored away on a flash drive, and he's very content to have his fancy, pretentious wine and wait for the guy to show up.

He's also mentally preparing himself. Meetings with Jack is always an ordeal and a half. ]

[ Royce is a regular at the Royale, and even though he doesn't often drink, he does know the faces of many of the other regulars. He likes to people-watch, and this woman, this Hawke, has caught his attention. He's spoken to her once or twice, idle conversation that went nowhere, but he's found he's curious.

She reminds him of a partner he used to have, a bit. His curiosity gets the better of him. Royce slides up next to her at the counter at the bar, taking the seat on her right and looking at her from under his hood of his black, sort of ratty hoodie. ]

Hawke, right?

[ Okay, so Royce just lets the noble have a hissy fit in the background about how the agent he was sent is tiny - Royce is just amazed at the coincidence. Royce stares down at Damian with an almost annoyed expression, pushing his hood back to get a good look at the ten year old squirt standing in front of him. For the second time. ]

You again. [ >:| ]

[ Hawke's just come off a warrant today, actually. One that sent her stumbling off Westerley for a bit and visiting places she'd, well, she'd rather not be. An uncomfortable chase after a slaver that hit too close to home and she had him bound and gagged within a week.

So, now she's here and enjoying a drink on her night back and flush with cash again. She has the glass halfway to her mouth when someone approaches her. She doesn't look bothered, but idly curious as she looks at Royce, eyebrow raised. ]

That's me. Business or pleasure, Messere?

[ And she smiles, friendly and open. Approachable. He looks idly familiar, she thinks, but she can't quite place the name yet. ]

[ It has been a night already. Getting to this girl's apartment has been a nightmare and a half, and Royce is so done with having to duck into alleyways to avoid getting spotted by the overzealous Company assholes looking for any excuse to grab a random stranger off the street and check their papers. Royce has got his, but he does whatever he can to avoid the Company in general. Especially after a particularly rambunctious meeting a few weeks ago with that Jack guy. God.

Scrambling up the side of the target's apartment building, Royce has much less trouble getting in than getting to the damn place. He's done his homework. She won't be home for a few hours, so he has free range to pick up whatever he can about what she's doing.

He cannot believe this client was willing to pay so much to get info on his daughter, honestly. He sifts through papers on her desk, gloved and careful to not leave evidence that he was ever here to begin with. ]

[Unfortunately for Royce, Kate comes home early. She does her best to secure her apartment as much as possible, but since coming to Westerley, she's pretty much been learning everything the hard way, so Royce probably had no trouble at all getting in, although Kate's smart enough not to keep any evidence that she's part of the Resistance in her apartment. Even if she didn't have Damian on her all the time about being careful, she knows what the stakes are. He's probably not going to find anything, but that might be the last thing on his mind when she unlocks her front door and closes it shut behind her.]

[ Royce watches her for a moment more, and then raps his knuckles on the bar to get the bartender's attention. Luckily it's one that is decently fond of him, or he'd get his ass thrown out - Royce knows his limits. The bartender rolls her eyes, and Royce hums: ] I'll pay for whatever drink she's having.

[ Because he just got paid! Usually he's stingy, but his job went well, so. To Hawke: ]

It'd be a pleasure to do business with you, I'm thinking. [ He taps his fingers lightly against the bar in a rhythm. ]

[ Kate comes home early, and Royce nearly has a heart attack. She wasn't supposed to be here. He wonders if his intel was bad - it doesn't matter. Royce doesn't have time to get out the window, but he can't let her catch him, so he silently makes his way to her closet to duck into it, hushing his breathing and going still. ]

[Kate makes a beeline for her bedroom, of course. It's not like her apartment is very big—basically two rooms—so Royce didn't really have anywhere else to go. It's bad luck that Kate goes for the closet first thing, her bow still in hand and her quiver still slung over her shoulder. For a split second, all she can really register is a figure in her closet, because Royce is draped in that terrible cloak of his, and her heart stops. She reacts on pure instinct, taking a quick step back and nocking an arrow in one smooth motion and aiming it right at his face.

Not that it really counts as aiming when the arrow is about two feet from his head, but maybe it's still impressive considering he nearly gave her a heart attack. Her voice sounds more angry than scared, though.]

What the hell are you doing in my apartment?

[It's one of the dealers that gives Kara a call, informing her there's an altercation in the gambling den that she should come deal with before someone ends up dead. Not that someone ending up dead would be the end of the world, but corpses don' pour money into Eulogy, so the bosses prefer to avoid it.

She makes her way there quickly, not really struggling to pinpoint the problem when some guy is on top of a goddamn machine.

With a sigh, she puts a hand on the big burly guy's shoulder, ignoring the fact she has to reach up a good foot to do it, and tugs him back so hard he nearly falls off his feet.]

Show yourself out or I throw you out.

[The thing about Kara is that she's small, and when the guy turns to look at her, anger written all over his face, he laughs.

The other thing about Kara is that she rarely leaves her sword behind, and she unsheaths it just enough for the light to glint on the metal, Mr. I'm-so-tough decides it would be in his best interest to not piss her off.

He was cheating.]

You got proof?

[No can win like that, he's gotta be cheating!

Kara sighs, looking over Royce as though she might use the sword on him, just for being an annoyance.]

Ain't my problem you're shit at cards. Out.

[He wavers for a second, she unsheaths the sword further, and he makes the smart choice to head for the exit, muttering angrily under his breath.

Finally, Kara can turn her attention to Royce.]

Get the fuck down, what are you, a cat?

Edited 2017-02-07 11:45 (UTC)

[ but also, I want to make fun of royce? I'm sorry ]

[ The bars of Westerley weren't actually Jack's preferred place to hang out. Probably surprisingly, considering his eccentric and boisterous personality, but he wasn't much of a drinker. Which kind of meant that 90% of the point of these places was a wash for him. But the other ten percent? It was definitely dealings like this. There's no better place to come by a little information on the sly than a place where no one is going to remember your face with certainty. Even if you have an iconic one like Jack.

He walks into the bar, and though a few people pause, recognizing who he is, no one stops enough to come ask him why he's here. It's none of their business, they tend to guess, and they're right. He scans the bar quickly, but seeing his contact, he sidles over, and whether Royce notices him or not, he's getting a hand clapped on his shoulder jovially. ]

Oh- Oh, you have gotta be my guy! That- Hah, you're actually wearing a cape? Nice.

Me. [He only pauses because he's tired of trying to even think of yelling over butt-blistered nobles sheerly because they don't take him or his talents seriously.] Again.

I'm not here to do your job for you. I'm here to make sure you stay alive to do your job.

Are you ready to go?

[ The woman chases off the guy trying to turn Royce into ground beef, in a way that makes Royce smirk a little. He doesn't move from his perch, legs folded, elbow on his knee, chin in palm as he watches the conversation. When Kara calls up to him, he still doesn't move. ]

My mother was. Suppose that makes me half. [ Royce tells her lazily. ] I'm not getting down until I'm sure he's gone.

[ Because Royce has his crazy enhanced hearing, he hears the footsteps coming up from behind him, but he is still decently unprepared for touching. He startles badly and his hand goes for Alverstone reflexively, but he stops himself halfway through the movement of raising a dagger to Jack's throat. Client. Right.

Royce scowls from under the hood of his stupid cloak, watching Jack closely. If Jack doesn't take his hand off Royce's shoulder, Royce is definitely going to wriggle out from under it. ]

If you're looking for Duster, then yes, I'm your guy.

[ Royce raises his eyebrow. ] I'd do just fine without you.

[ But okay. Come along, tiny. Royce reaches to tug the orders out of the noble's hand deftly and then heads out and off in the direction of the front door. He does pause there, glancing down at Damian once he has. ] You can do stealth?

[ Hi, Kate.

And yeah, okay, sure - Royce is impressed by the speed in which she pulls the arrow back, but he's not particularly scared. Arrows are much less effective this close, and besides, if she'd been aiming to kill him, she would've done with without hesitation. This is intimidation. Hope for an answer. Royce idly lifts his hands. ]

Visiting. [ c: ]

Raises some questions about your father.

["Your dad fucked a cat" isn't something she's going to come straight out with, but she will happily suggest it.

Still, she also taps the comm device tucked behind her ear, linking her up with the rest of the security team and waits to hear confirmation that the guy is gone.]

He's out.

I'm sure. [He watches Royce snatch the orders, offers a fleeting and disgruntled look at the noble, and then turns to follow the other man out. He's not bothered to leave behind a fume and highly uncertain rich jackass that may doubt their broker's choice in hiring.]

I was born for stealth, Melborn. [He looks right back up to Royce. And then he smirks.] And not just physically.

Let's go, "Duster."

[ Damian gets a disapproving warning look. ] Leave my real name out of this, or I'll make sure every guard in this place decides to come looking for you.

[ Come on, bro, he uses the alias for a reason! ]

[ Her suggestion brings back that smirk. It's not a very nice expression. But still - she makes sure the guy is gone, which is more than Royce was expecting, so he plays nice and jumps down gracefully from the top of the machine. He pulls his clothes straight, and then glances up at her. ]

You're the first guard to go after the guy chasing the man on top of the machine. [ Royce remarks. ]

[Damian knows, but he has to give Royce some hell to prove a point: he's more talented than people give him credit for.] Just these guards? Child's play.

[Come along, Royce. Without a glance to any other guard or servant, Damian pushes his way outside.] Give me a location, and I'll get us there.

[ Normally, Royce might roll his eyes at boasting like that, but he's seen what Damian can do. As much as he'd like to give the kid a hard time, the last time they'd worked together, Damian's ruthless fighting style had impressed Royce. No underestimating here.

He follows Damian out and makes his way off the noble's property. ]

Old Town. There's a bar with an apartment on the second floor. The target is hiding there. Client wants nobody to see us arrive and nobody to see us leave. [ Royce glances up at Damian from reading the paper. ] Rooftops or tunnels?

[Kate can't see him very well in the dark and with his cloak on, but she recognizes his voice, and the shock shows on her face for an instant before shifting to something much more angry.]

Duster?

[Of course, then it clicks instantaneously.]

My dad sent you. What did you take?

[That's a marginal improvement, but she still doesn't look very impressed.]

He was the one shouting.

[Anyone who gets angry, who gets violent, they're the ones that get thrown out because they threaten the tenuous peace that exists within Eulogy. Cheating, so long as the cheats are subtle about it, isn't really that big of a deal.

People just need to be smarter, it's their own damn fault if they get cheated.

Still, Royce isn't getting off completely scott-free.]

With me.

[She's going to start walking, slowly, and he better fall in step with her or he's going to regret it.]

pre-game catchall dumpster

for kara

for handsome jack

for hawke

for damian

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for kate

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if he's not wearing a cloak i can change this

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i'm saying he is simply because i want to make fun of royce also

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this is the first time i've been able to use a smirking icon since i started playing him??

i win

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