homeless and bound for awful places possibly

[dynamissed]

Woah, woah, woah. Aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself there, kid?

[Because almost the same age totally qualifies as "kid".]

Alright, no need to get so huffy. Just want to make sure you're prepared, is all. It's a big undertaking, "adopting" someone new, [grinning at how strange it sounds, even stranger to say] but I'll bet you can handle it. I've got faith.

Even if your plans are... eh...

[Yeah, let's not discuss those with kids watching.]

Man, you're such a brat sometimes.

Comments

[warmonger]

Well! Sounds like somebody's got a fun time planned.

[ it sounds fun for him anyway. ]

Just try not to get in over your head.

[dynamissed]

[And then there's this asshole.

Lockon narrows his eyes. ...eye. Whatever.]

Sounds like they found a special place in hell for you, too. Guess it's only natural I'd follow.

[prideinbattle]

Well look what we've got here! Aren't you excited? I know I'm ready to watch this all go down. I hope you get used to it because there's going to be a lot of that if you know what I mean.

[Hiling is far too amused with herself.]

[dynamissed]

[Isn't she always? He's got no experience with your kind, Hiling, and yet he still senses that you're very much Bad News. Call it sniper's intuition.]

That depends on what you mean by excited. [More like...] I'd call it "tentatively optimistic".

[prideinbattle]

Shall I elaborate? This could get explicit.

[Says she of no shame. In fact it would be her pleasure to embarrass him in public. Her personal mission.]

[dynamissed]

[Lockon, however, being arguably the sanest of the Celestial bunch, just shrugs and rolls with it, playfully teasing her back.]

I'd find that a little creepy coming from a child. No offense.

[prideinbattle]

[A challenge! She likes that.]

Are you making fun of me because I'm flat?

[dynamissed]

[Careful what you ask for, Hiling...]

Nah, but I can't say it's helping your case, either.

[prideinbattle]

I am one of the wealthiest most powerful people in the city. Somehow that's not an issue for me.

[dynamissed]

You play the part of princess well, indeed.

[And no, that wasn't a compliment. But feel free to take it as one.]

[prideinbattle]

[Oh she will, thank you very much.]

I guess I was just born for greatness. If you're lucky maybe you'll get a taste of what I've got.

[dynamissed]

I don't know... it sounds risky to me. Acquired tastes always are.

[Call him cynical, but swallowing all that poison just to make it bearable seems like a bad deal. Or maybe it's less cynicism and more learning the hard way not to trust people who looked ready to swallow you up at any given moment.

Lockon just smiles thinly at her.]

Maybe when you're older.

[prideinbattle]

[Only about as risky as playing with explosives. She doesn't even try to hide it. She's proud of what she is and what she's done to get there.]

Don't worry I'll be around for a long, long while. I'll be there when you break and long after you've forgotten anyone you ever cared about.

[dynamissed]

[Or with loaded guns. One might say Lockon knows a thing or two about those.]

Don't you think you're overestimating yourself just a bit?

[prideinbattle]

[That can be arranged if he's into that.]

No such thing! See, I work for the government and I'm not above being the one to make those things a reality for you if you're not sufficiently willing to integrate on your own.

[dynamissed]

[Kinky.

...this should probably concern him more than it does right now. But when you're dead you get used to a lot of crazy things and crazy people happening.]

Really? Forcing royalty into menial labor? That's so cruel of them.

[warmonger]

Really? So you're admitting that terrorists like you and I belong together?

[ and he was so adamant about it before! ]

Though I seem to remember you going down all on your own.

[dynamissed]

[This got gay before the gay ever even started and that's pretty goddamn depressing when it's Ali on the other end. Can't even catch a break in meta life, man.]

I nearly trashed you with one eye and a peashooter. Maybe you'd better start hoping they don't bring me back with two and something a lot bigger.

[warmonger]

[ it's your problem if you want to take it that way, Mr. Gundam Pilot. ]

No luck there, I'm afraid. They won't let you in with anything even as fancy as your little "peashooter." Guess you'll have to face me with your bare hands.

[dynamissed]

[You are an asshole and the worst part is you're an insufferable, inescapable, unkillable asshole. Lockon grunts irritably in acknowledgment of all the above.]

So you can jab me with a knife like a dirty cheat? No thanks.

[warmonger]

[ yeah, he tries. too bad it won't be getting any better or easier should he come to this city. speaking of which, what a funny guy! he has to laugh a little and his rebuff is in no way indignant. ]

I don't need to cheat against a sorry excuse for a pilot like you!

[dynamissed]

Better a sorry excuse for a pilot than a sorry excuse for a person.

[And this would ordinarily be the part where he escalates from dialogue to decking, but death tends to mellow even the worst grudges out. Or at least remind you that swinging fists with the big, bad bully on the playground serves no real purpose here.

Though rest assured if anyone deserves a sock to the jaw, it's Ali.]

Who put you on that high horse, anyway? You're as stuck as anyone else, aren't you?

[warmonger]

[ uh-huh, keep preaching. as much fun as a fight with no holds barred by the city of Ariel might be, he wouldn't want to give him the distinction that he had nothing better to do. besides, there may come a time and place for that eventually anyway. he's not the one with a grudge here. ]

If it's answers you're after, are you really asking me?

[ of all people, he should know better. ]

The drawbacks are a bit of a pain, but it sure beats being dead or burnt to a crisp.

[dynamissed]

[Fair enough point. It earns a surprisingly cool-headed shrug, all present dickheads considered.]

Yeah? I hear rats are great at crawling out of nasty places. Or crawling deeper in.

[warmonger]

So? And you think a rat like me would share with a small fry like you?

[ if it's a point he's making, he's going to have to be more specific. ]