ataraxion | First Edition || Video;

Entry tags:

First Edition || Video;

[Jack looks quite ill as he comes on screen: there are dark circles beneath his eyes, and there's a faint sheen of sweat on his face. He also looks a bit thinner than he did, though no one might actually notice that one. It's not severe, after all.]

Listen, uh, I-- I know you guys don't know me too well, and you got a lotta other stuff on your mind, but, uh, help a guy out, yeah? I ain't had no cigarette in about four days and I'm dyin' for it. Anythin' anybody's got, you know? I promise I'll do somethin' for you in return, I don't give a damn what, but-- anythin'. Please.

Please.

[He tries for a winning sort of smile, rather fails, and shuts the communicator.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hang on, who said I was your knight, I only said I'd get 'em. That doesn't involve any armor or particular amounts of shining, it's mostly trickery--and you'd have to help, anyway, don't think you'd be out of it.

I meant-- never mind. What sort o' trickery do you mean?

Scams, of a sort. Of course.

Ah, well, those, you're talkin' to a master. I been pullin' those since I was six.

[THE MOST SCEPTICAL.]

What sort of scams could you pull at six.

Plenty! Lesse . . . me brother an' me used to pretend our Ma'd just died, and he'd be sobbin' and he'd run into a buncha rich ladies, right? And I'd run after him and apologize and explain oh, sorry, we's so sorry, he's just upset cuz our Ma just died, I'm sorry, and they'd feel bad enough that they gave us enough money for dinner.

You do that ten times a day, you get a hell o' a lotta money. Our Pop was real proud that day. Course, our Ma smacked us, but I mean, she was happy for the money too.

[Not that he would ever ever ever say it but oh my god what sort of brilliant--the Muggle orphan, what's his name, oh right, yeah, Oliver Twist--what sort of brilliant Oliver Twistish life has this fellow had?!

Instead, he just laughs.]

Clever. Bit unfair for your mum to hit you over something so brilliant and solvent, of course, but I s'ppose that's standard. Did you two come up with that one yourself!

Aw, well, she was always one for tryin' not to break the law if we could help it. An' yeah, we did! Or I did, anyway, and he went along with it.

Younger, then. Ah, bless you lucky few who have brothers who actually go along with things.

[But he says it briskly, and doesn't leave any space for brotherly inquiries! Onward and upward!]

Can I proceed on the assumption that these scams grew more elaborate as time went on? Only I want to be sure I'm entering partnership with someone up to snuff, so to speak. No offense. It's not as if I can ask you for a CV.

A what?

It's, er-- everything you've done. Curriculum Vitae. It's a list.

[A beat.]

I dunno what else it's called. Do they not have 'em in 1899?

Nope. But listen, you want proof, let's run a scam together.

I'm listening, go on.

What d'ya want? I mean, what're you after? No money, and nobody's got stuff worth takin'--

[Or, more honestly, Jack would feel guilty taking it. Money is one thing; anyone can get more money. But people have things that were brought from home, that are precious to them. There's stealing and there's stealing, after all; it's the difference between robbing a rich man and a blind old woman.]

So I figure we oughta try an' persuade people o' somethin'.

[Oh yeah absolutely. A sort of thief's honor, which is actually rather biding, all things considered. So Sirius gives a sage nod (not that Jack's going to be able to see that!).]

Just for the hell of it. Right. So we'll lie--only d'you want it based on word alone, or d'you want some evidence.

What sorta evidence you got?

I can make any sort you like.

Well, then . . . hm. We could pretend we got some kinda link. You could be me grandson.

Oh, come off it-- you, my grandfather! They wouldn't believe it. No, we need something really good, mate, we need--

Oi, we could make up a person!

[That's a really stupid idea, given that there's a red smiley face terrifying and talking all the passengers.]

Yeah, all right! Girl or boy?

[excuse you I think you mean BEST idea...]

Can you write like a girl?

I've known enough. I could give it a shot.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

First Edition || Video;

[voice]

[voice]

[voice // a little more private JUST FOR POSTERITY'S SAKE OKAY]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]

[voice // private]