Metatextual postmodern asshole incoming.

[sociospatial]

Now this is interesting.

You realize I'll know it's fictional. Coincidences, timed events, plot arcs - these things have noticeable characteristics, from the inside. Ordinarily, I would simply think that events are being manipulated by an unseen hand. It's what I do, after all. But after a while... no one can rule the whole world. No one can make all the puzzle pieces fit together. That's why reality, in all its messy chaos, is so beautiful. You can't have signal without noise.

But this place, this one... if you extract every single signal and add them together, what you get is noise again. Chaos. Randomness, even if it's a randomness of a particular color. I've never seen such a fascinating bunch of nonsensical rambling.

Let's talk about doctrinal creation. Superheroes, as you well know, necessitate an entirely new body of law. Civil and criminal. I have plenty of reason to create exceptions for our noble vigilantes who insist on hiding their identity. Imagine if that were legalized. A Registration Act - it's rational, yes, but the process of a two-dimensional mind. Anyone can see that would lead to a civil war. No, I would think... something else. Control the heroes by controlling the image. No - by controlling the villains.

Yes. That's perfect.

Comments

[sociospatial]

[ A flicker of a smile. A shark's smile, though the edge to it fades quickly, to something charming and genuine.

She'll be able to tell. Certainly more to him than meets the eye; an hint of danger remains, not just the sort of vague sleaze that comes from being an exquisitely high-paid defense attorney. Hard to tell what he intends, though. He's a wild card. ]

Maybe so. I figured you'd be a little more discerning.

[debts]

[ Her own smile doesn't reach her eyes — polite, though soft around the edges. ]

Should I be worried?

[sociospatial]

Yes.

[ Not because he's necessarily an enemy. Because he doesn't know where he'd land. ]

If Loki showed back up, I'd get him a day in court.

If you got yourself in a mess, I'd make the world - well, ordinarily, woman like you, I'd say I'd make them fall in love. But, for you, I'd make you disappear off the map. I think you're more that type.

Ever heard of secret brands?

[debts]

Sure.

[ She hasn't decided if it's arrogance or honesty, yet. (Disappearing has never been particularly hard— the problem comes from the idea that he'd know how to track her down.) ]

Are you trying to sell me something?

[sociospatial]

No.

I just find you very interesting.

[debts]

I've only found two reasons why men say that to me.

[sociospatial]

I prefer submissives. Sexually. Not that I don't switch, on occasion, but I'd rather create the experience. The ephemeral event as overwhelming stimulus.

My guess would be your own natural caution would preclude that.

What I'm saying is: it's not sex. I assume the other one is killing?

[debts]

[ This time, her smile does reach her eyes. ]

Yes.

[sociospatial]

Assassination's not my taste.

[debts]

Then what is?

[sociospatial]

I told you.

The ephemeral. The fleeting consequences. Gleaning signal from noise.

[debts]

You don't seem like the transient type to me.

[ To be fair, it's not as difficult as one might think, to seem one thing and be another. ]

[sociospatial]

I understand that the world is more than what I perceive of it. That the narratives I construct in my mind are falsehoods, a sophisticated machine trying to glean gold from dust. The art of transience - noting a moment, and letting it pass - is one way to be sure you're really seeing.