piper90 | [Video] [Locked to New Hires only] [TW for Punishment in the linked log.]

Stacia, Armstrong, I need to see both of you in person. On the double. Five minutes ago. Anyone else with a real good sense of smell, you come see me too.

[On the camera, underneath his oak tree in the garden, Bunny has a little bit of that dead-eyed stare that comes from being reminded how thoroughly shackled they all are to the most banal form of evil. Mostly, this is just businesslike, direct. Calmly urgent, after his furious meltdown in the Executive wing got him nowhere good.]

Everyone else: Sam and Dan and I tracked what attacked Tenten and Setsuna into the Executive wing. I smelled it there recently before the suits caught us and kicked us out.

[There's no real reason to bring up their Punishment. It happened, it hurt, he hates that he dragged Dan and Sam into it, but they all knew it was likely to happen. And if anything they learned can help prevent any further damage to the kids, it'll have absolutely been worth it.]

I couldn't identify the species, but it's supernatural, and old. Older than me. Some variety of predator. Given we tracked it into areas we're not allowed to go, and it spent a lot of time wandering around there all leisurely, it either looks enough like a suit that they gave it a pass, or it can walk through walls. If I had money, I'd put it on walking through walls. I'm not ruling out both, though.

But don't worry. Jorgmund's bringing in - [he scoffs, and rolls his eyes hugely] dogs to finish tracking it.

I'm still racking my brains to see if any memory of what it could be falls out, but if any of that rings any bells for all you, I'm all ears.

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Kerrigan can do some kinda mind magic, but she's only been here for a little while. Made a real memorable first impression.

[It is hard to forget when a bunch of monsters get their heads burst open like eggs. ]

You should avoid gettin' on her bad side, that's for sure...

I try not to get on anyone's bad side. It never pans out well when I do. [Dan's grin there can best be described as "impish".]

Anyway, not to get into details, but I have on good authority that at least a few folks gave new powers too here - maybe ones they don't even know they got yet. [He does, but he doesn't want to tell anyone, because sometimes a guy likes to keep secrets for the sake of having them. And when your power is pretty strategically useless, it seems like a small crime to neglect to mention it.] One way or another we're going to need to round everyone up and understand what sort of firepower we have, if not for this intruder than the next threat or mission.

[Remy's grin can certainly match Dan's for impishness. Or just straight out devilry.]

Me, I try not to get on anybody's bad side, neither. It's jus' dat I got a talent for it.

[He produces a deck of cards from...somewhere. One moment his hands are free, the next, he's shuffling a deck.]

Least dis place was kin' 'nough to leave me wit' de powers I came wit'. Be a mite more trouble if I really had to t'ink 'bout 'em. But knowin' what people can do would be a good idea. Jus' for everyone's safety.

[Guts does not grin, because he is Guts. He does silently wonder what other street performing tricks Remy was keeping up his sleeve, though.]

Yeah, it would. By the way, another feature of this thing on my neck is that it attracts the demons to me. So if I can sense her comin', then she'll probably be able to tell where I am.

[Even though Dan absolutely does not intend to let others in on his powers, he nods with Remy anyway.] Agreed.

[Dan's face lights up at the cards, and he pulls out his own pack, which he's been using for games with Beckett.] And I reckon I should invite both of you to poker nights at the library. Me and Beckett have got a good thing going. Just drop by any time after ten and B.Y.O.B. if you want it.

[He has another muscle spasm again, as if his own body is reminding him to stay on topic. He gets serious again as he looks at Guts.] That seems like a bit of a double-edged sword. My condolences.

[There are parts of Remy's powers that he likely won't mention to people. But that's more because of WHO might be listening more than the fact that he wants to hide it.]

[Besides, Rogue already knew. That's what's important to him.]

[He grins widely as Dan produces his own cards.] Poker night, huh? Been a while since I've played a frien'ly game. [Friendly being the key. He's less cut-throat if it's friendly.]

[He turns his head to look at Guts' mark with a frown and a...strange flash behind his glasses.] Dat don' seem de bes' t'ing to be havin' right now. Though, if we ever need t' be doin' de whole bait t'ing? You might be de best one to be takin' de lead dere.

Quit screwing around.

[Guts’ voice is sharp, annoyed with the sudden change in topic from both of them. He fixes on Dan with a bit more grave intensity. ]

I didn’t tell you because I wanted pity - it’s a warning so you aren’t blindsided.

[ He looks away, mouth creased with distaste. He can’t be too harsh - Dan was the one who was actually hurt here.]

Remy’s right. If it works the way it’s supposed to, then we ought to get that in order and figure out what our attack’s gonna be. Right now, it feels like we’re just grasping at the dark.

[and well, maybe he was just feeling a bit more tense than usual]

[Dan gets serious again. If the situation weren't so dire, he might try and defend himself and Remy by bringing up the benefits of team-building and levity - but Guts is right. They are kind of just fucking around when the next killing could be nigh.]

Are you suggesting we try to do a bait thing without consulting the others? I can't imagine they'd take kindly.

Doubt dey would. An' I'd be wantin' more back up 'fore we did anyt'in' like dat.

[His own life, Remy's fully willing to gamble with. Other people's lives? He's more likely to fall on the side of caution.]

[He shuffles the deck to have something to do with his hands.]

But. I gotta admit, I ain't much of one for sittin' on my hands, neither. Feels like we're jus' waitin' on dis t'ing to come after us 'gain.

Don't have my sword and armor with me, so splitting up ain't gonna go well.

[He might hunt this thing down on his own if he had his gear, but alas, he does not.]

If we go with that plan, I don't want that chance to kill to be wasted. Goin' off to sniff out more information was a good start.

[he can give compliments too!]

Edited 2020-10-13 22:34 (UTC)

Waiting's killing me. [Dan makes a huffing sound and takes a long drag off his cigarette; he kills it and stubs it out with his foot before kicking it off the deck. Waiting for something to attack is perhaps uniquely hellish for Dan, who spent his youth waiting with a curse picking off his family one-by-one each January, never sure how it would happen this year, never sure if he was next, never sure if he didn't want to be just to spare his siblings a year. That thought's crowding his mind, and it's making it hard to be as chill as he knows he should be. He thinks he's probably shaking more from than from the earlier electrocution, but he's certainly not going to tell Remy and Guts that.] But you're both right.

[He folds his arms and leans against the railing again.]

Anyone want to come with me and see if we can get any information out of the brass? They ain't cooperative and I'm thinking I'm on thin ice with them, but maybe they'll have some sort of...record or log of all the people legally on this thing.

[The cards flip through Remy's hands one more time before they disappear to wherever he was keeping them to start with.]

Wouldn' min' tryin' to do somet'in'. Talkin' works jus' as well as anyt'in' else. An' if we can mebbe get somet'in' outta de brass? All de better.

Uh... I don't get along too well with a lot of 'em...

[Apparently, being huge and menacing doesn't get you very far with Jorgmund suits. The minor shocks barely register to him at this point.]

Sorry. They grate my nerves.

Alright. Me and Remy, then. Even if I ain't any fonder of them than you are, Guts. [Dan's whole spine jerks again. He's really looking forward to when the aftereffects of the violation tasing fade out.] I don't understand what brings people to be like...that.

You can al'ays jus' come 'long an' watch. [Remy's smile is wide and charming, but in a friendly way, not anything more.]

[His smile turns to a concerned frown, though, turning to look at Dan with...what's probably worry or at least checking on him. It's difficult to tell without being able to see his eyes.]

Folks like dem? Dey get like dat 'cause dey don' have control over what's happenin' to dem. Dey don' have any power to change it. So dey take control over ot'ers, 'cause it's easier dan leavin' off an' takin' back deir own control.

[Video] [Locked to New Hires only] [TW for Punishment in the linked log.]

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