raisetheearth | Entry #A-3: "Ask" [Video] [Shepherd's Haven]

[It's getting easier to tell Ryuzaki and Lazarus apart; the latter looks significantly thinner and more unhealthy than the former, and instead of breaking into easy smirks, his face is placid and serious. The two share a Number, but little else.]

Regarding recent events, Saretha has given these aspects thought and is asking you to do the same. Please pay attention to what she has to say, whether or not you've missed these events in real time. It's all important.

I'm one of the people who was contacted by the informant from Thunder Corp, and I know of some others, but there's a question I'm very interested in at this time. I want to know if anyone was both contacted by this informant and approached by a representative from the company, and if there are any Numbered currently active on the Network who experienced neither of these things.

If you're not comfortable sharing this information on the Network, especially considering that I have a particularly destructive and untrustworthy doppelganger who can see even my private network messages and just took a job with someone I have a very bad feeling about, I can meet with you in person to discuss this regardless of your location, or speak with you on a private line. If you've agreed to help Thunder Corp, I'm not not here to judge harshly... at this point, I just want the data I've specified, and your answer one way or the other is something you're welcome to keep to yourself.

To reiterate: Were you contacted by Thunder Corp's rogue informant, or a recruiter? Were you contacted by both? Were you contacted by neither?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

OK. I've never tried this but I've seen it in action a lot of times, so I know how it works in theory. I'm going to try to help you.

Your mother's given you an inferiority complex, not because you lack talent but because someone else has already successfully forged the same path and attained intimidating success. You simultaneously admire her and find her inaccessible, leading you to lash out at her critical attempts to improve you that are granted weight because of her expertise in your shared field. Meanwhile, your absentee father pursues his own dreams without regard for the teenaged daughter or wife who might need him around, which you resent heavily. Whether or not he's doing any harm by being away, you don't know what it's like to have him around, so you can't really compare the two situations. It's highly likely that your mother also resents your father but she hides it and instead directs her frustration into picking apart your performances, and it's likely they haven't been intimate in a long time for more reasons than your father's adventures.

So... I mean the parent issues make sense.

Edited 2015-10-17 22:06 (UTC)

[Compared to Kyle's bullying--Arthur could find very little insult in what Emilia said. He only really felt bad, because he was worried her impression of him might have declined if he hung back in wit too far.]

Emi... You're sweet. If you worry about sounding mean, why should I feel bad about it?

Hey, don't talk about my parents like that!

[What is even happening now?]

It wasn't my intention to sound like I was attacking them. I'm actually envious. My parents died two months apart when I was very young, and my uncle exploited me for years. If your mom and dad had wanted to adopt me I wouldn't have complained for a second.

...but I'm right, aren't I?

Oh, dragul meu... I love you so.

Shall we meet up when there's time?

[Everyone should be by this point, save of course for the people who accepted.]

We've been the subject of ire before. I'm sure we will again, whether or not it stems from this incident, but we've got Factor Industries supporting us on the opposite end of the spectrum. There's a counterbalance, and hopefully it's just a matter of waiting for the pendulum to swing the other way and reacting then.

Why will things go crazy for Celine? I think they'd go crazy for everyone, but why her in particular?

Oh, she'll complain the most. I'm sure of it.

[Arthur found himself frowning inwardly at that--there was Geoffrey to take into account, from what he remembered.]

The last time we got sudden backing, it turned out bad. How upfront is Factor Industries being with us?

[Arthur was, by no means, all that intelligent, but--he had a great deal of instinctual habits. He knew better than to accept an outstretched hand unless he trusted it.]

[There was a smile in Arthur's tone, sedated despite his worry.

There was always a risk of something going on, but lately... It seemed like things were speeding up and the chance of living a peaceful married life out was declining.

He would marry Emilia for sure, but--he would have liked it to be quiet.]

Of course. It's not my day in the shop today. I've just been cleaning up.

[ She hoped things would had been quiet for a while longer, but it wasn't to be. Now she wanted to marry him as soon as she could. ]

Oh, good. Meet me at home...?

Very upfront, actually. I look for any excuse I can to distrust an organization, being somewhat naturally paranoid, and Factor's been honest, straightforward and helpful from the start. Shepherd's Haven couldn't have existed without that help.

Is it the complaining itself, or a reason to complain, though?

[Which is why for as bad as he feels for that boy, Nathan has done nothing to intervene. He simply cannot envision managing anything else than failing spectacularly and probably making things worse somehow.]

When did you lean of this . . . employment opportunity of his? The post that marked his re-emergence?

Yeah, don't worry about it. I'll hit you up in a second.

[Lazarus pinches the bridge of his nose.]

That's the one, at the end of August. I could see the initial contact but they took it to truly private means very quickly. I tried to step in and speak with the would-be employer myself, but that didn't go well.

[ah] That's probably true.... but you can never be one hundred percent sure, right?

... Oh.

[Well, that... kinda took the wind out of her ranting sails a little, now she feels like more than a little bit of a heel.

... What a jerk this guy is.]

Hmf! [She still sounds a little annoyed, but the irritation in her voice sounds more like a bit of an act.] No, you're not, as a matter of fact. They just... get on my nerves a little sometimes.

[Conversational whiplash, thy name is Lazarus.]

I think that's normal for a teenager. Some fear and resentment of the people who control your life and what they might do to you if you're not perfect makes a lot of sense.

I believe it is possible. It's irresponsible to make an accusation below a certain percent... obviously, one hundred percent is ideal.

Yeah, that's fine. [He hasn't exactly got anything to hide, considering he shot them down in what he considers to be pretty reasonable fashion by his standards.]

Ten minutes. [He was overestimating his ability to clean in time, but he was going to definitely give it his all.]

[At the very least, Arthur could trust Lazarus to do research.

Still, that was where his trust ended--with Lazarus. Outside parties would have to earn it.]

Thank you for letting me know. I... I'm really not good at judging people until it's a dangerous situation, so I gotta rely on others for this...

I'll be expecting you in twenty.

[Arthur laughed a bit nervously at that, but it was as she predicted. Not exactly happy to meet that expectation since it was more of a low standard than anything--he didn't even announce himself when he arrived, trying to shyly change his clothes and return to things...]

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Entry #A-3: "Ask" [Video] [Shepherd's Haven]

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Handwave or do you want to move it to something private, since we're in somebody's post?