Voice-testing, homeless, you know the drill...

[leveraging]

Look, uh... mundane? I don't know what you're worried about, you've got some experience at this thing.

[ . . . what ]

No, just... run with it for a second, will you? This roleplay you're doing - you're basically just pretending you're someone else, right? And your goal is to... what, compromise people with feelings, emotions, manipulate them like putty in your hand, right?

That's really not that different from what I do. What I did before. Though, to be fair, our kind of roleplaying was far more expansive... and involved... and meant to defraud people who deserve it, but that's beside the point...

[ . . . Nate, Nate. No, I do not want to be compared to you as a conman, okay? This is different. DIFFERENT. ]

My point is, you're worrying about this more than you should be. So just... relax, take a deep breath, straighten yourself out and let me talk. It's not that hard.

And if all else fails... we've got backup plans. Use them.

Comments

[hitsitoff]

...Are you trying to creep your mun out enough so he'll let you be?

[changethendie]

[this twelve-year-old in a cowl is giving you such a weird look, Nate. in a cowl]

. . . I do believe you're taking this much too seriously, sir. Perhaps to frightening lengths.

[leveraging]

... maybe.

[ read: yes ]

That's kind of the point.

[leveraging]

Oh, me? No, I think I'm taking this just about right.

[ As mundane's stares of disbelief at him are showing. ]

[hitsitoff]

Nuh-uh. No. If I get to deal with this, so do you. You're not weaseling your way out of it.

[leveraging]

Perish the thought. I just want him to understand what he should be expecting by harboring me, knowing who I am.

I think of it as oversight.

[npsleepy]

...It never hurts to plan. But, in this case, it might... be going a little far.

[...]

...

Also... I don't think that's really like roleplaying at all...

[leveraging]

In my line of work, it never hurts to have a few contingencies for just in case.

[ read: Plans A-Z ]

... well, I mean roleplaying in the absolute loosest sense of the word. I know they're different, it's just that my mundane, well... he has his reservations.

[ FOR GOOD REASON. ]

[hitsitoff]

You do that.

...But try not to treat him like he's a mark. I mean, it's bad form, but mostly I can't break anyone's legs for you if you screw up.

[npsleepy]

That... depends on how you define "a few".

...I think.

[Reservations are for losers.]

Hm... Defining the genre is pretty important, though. But alright. Um... Maybe it will help if you're a little less intense?

[leveraging]

I know, I'm just making sure of things on my end.

... I appreciate the concern, though.

[leveraging]

Eh, just enough that we both know what we're doing.

[ Nate can only unhelpfully shrug at that. ]

Yeah, I noticed... do I really come off as this creepy to regular people?

[ read: mundanes who feel like they're in over their head ]

[npsleepy]

Yes.

[...

Wow, this might be the most sure she's sounded about anything in a while. She didn't even end that with "I think" or anything.]

[leveraging]

[ To be fair, this isn't the first time he's been told that his tendencies to mess with people is creepy in and of itself. To say nothing of his plans...

That said, he does seem to pause in thought before responding. ]

Duly noted. I'll try to tone it down a bit.

...ish.

[npsleepy]

...Are you sure you can handle that? It sounds like a challenge past your skill level.

[leveraging]

Well, I think so.

It can't be any worse than some of the other things I've done.

[ Like stealing a bunch of things. Potatoes, trains, mountains... you know. The usual. ]

[npsleepy]

What kind of things?

...

Or am I not supposed to ask?

[changethendie]

No, no. This is all about fun. And yet here you are, liking it to a game of cons as if all the world were at stake. I mean, you're not wrong, it is a con. But of all the things you could be intensely serious about, this truly ought not be one of them.

If you think me wrong, look at your writer's face.

[leveraging]

. . . Let's just say I helped people suffering through problems. I took up where the law left off, so to speak.

[leveraging]

[ Nate can only raise an eyebrow at this kid, mildly impressed by his answer.

Well, he certainly wasn't wrong; there was many a time where he had too much fun messing with the people he and his team were against. ]

I won't argue that. Living from one score to the next, that's not what it should be all about, especially since eventually, your luck runs out.

[ As his father's fate proved. ]

Still, is fun also just all there is, as you say?

[secondshift]

You know there actually was a roleplaying game for you, right? It was neat.

[leveraging]

. . . really? A roleplaying game? For us?

[ Forgive him if he sounds stunned, because, well. That was the last thing he was expecting... ]

[secondshift]

Yeah, my mun went to Comic-Con a few years back and apparently this was a thing.

[leveraging]

... ah. That explains a lot... we did a job at Comic-Con one year. It was... certainly an experience.

[ There's a wistful smile on his face as he recalls the job. ]

. . . you know, my son... he wanted to go there once. Made a promise that I'd take him there on his 13th birthday.

[secondshift]

Sounds like my kid.

[She knows that look. She's had that look.]

When did you lose him?