vatheon | Enter the Spider

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Enter the Spider

Who: Spider Jerusalem and whomever is brave enough to come near.
When: May 28th, afternoon.
Where: The Plaza
Style: Action, though prose works too if you want.
Status: Open to all
Warning: Skinny white guy butt.

[It's that time of the month again, when the plaza plays host to a few new arrivals. They're usually confused, scared, or angry, and it is not uncommon for there to be some yelling. However, what comes from the area now is a string of profanities so heartfelt it's probably stripping the bark off the trees up on the island, not to mention what harm it's causing local property values, if property values were really a thing around here.]

[A new arrival landed in the plaza with the customary splash of seawater. A human male, hairless and covered in a variety of tattoos. He's wearing a very odd pair of sunglasses, and a strange set of sneakers. Unfortunately for anybody present he's not wearing anything else. It seems a few items arrived with him, and lacking in clothing his entire inventory is also... exposed. Besides the shoes and glasses his arrival included a typewriter of some strange make, a pack of cigarettes, and what looks like a gun out of some bad sci-fi flick.]

[The initial anger and shock have worn off. It was the smell that got him first. Wherever this is, it's not The City. Far too clean, far too quiet. He was brought here against his will though, so naturally he was on edge. He's survived far too many assassination attempts to not wonder just who brought him here and why. Looking out at his scattered possessions, he dove for the one thing that would be best to keep close to him in such an uncertain environment.]

God fucking damnit. The whole pack is soaked.

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Ah. Just over there. It's free with your mark. As for pants... I suppose you could get one from there as well, or you could stay here and I could fetch some for you.

[Better to not be naked all over Vatheon, surely.]

Right.

[In an odd burst of courtesy Spider turns away, looking over his body for the mark. confused, he looks at Ky.]

I don't see the mark. Can you check and see if it's on my back or something?
[Spider turns around, still wrapped in the towel. He mutters under his breath. ]

Fucking pain in the ass. That one weird fucker had it on the back of his hand, but the universe just has to fuck with me a little more, huh...

[His mark is not visible on his back either. He's completely hairless, so it's not obscured on his head, and it's not visible to him. Gotta be under the towel...

[Ky really doesn't want to touch that option. He refuses to.]

I don't see it.

...Perhaps you can simply talk to the natives instead and work out a different arrangement.

Well damn. It's gotta be somewhere, right?

[He drops the towel, and starts trying to look over his shoulder, and under his feet. He finally catches a glimpse of it on his left buttocks.]

Of fucking course.

[He picks back up the towel and wraps himself again.]

Thanks for the offer but I think it's probably better that I go myself. Just means that much less time spend on the streets with no pants.

[ Ky quickly glances away when Spider drops the towel. How inappropriate! Perhaps the tattoo is indeed there, which would be unfortunate, but there's still no call to bare oneself in public!]

You don't, ah, intend to show your mark to pay for the trousers, do you? Given where it is...

[Spider just comes from a more sexually... open... society than you. Well, than anybody else in the bubble, really.]

Unless you want to come with me and show them your mark every time I need to get more cigs, I don't have much of a choice. Besides, as I understand it it's the people here that put this thing on my ass, I don't see where they can really complain.

[But perhaps still particularly more open than Ky's.]

It's still indecent.

There will...nearly always be people around that you could ask.

I suppose you're right. We'll just save the goods for whomever gets lucky enough to have my patronage when nobody is around. So,

[Spider starts walking vaguely in the direction of the shop that was pointed out to him.]

Are you going to come with and flash that little symbol of yours, or are we going to find out if this store you told me about currently has and foreigners that'll help keep my unfortunate marking placement under wraps?

[Ky rushes along to go with him. He doesn't want Spider getting impatient and deciding to drop the towel. He twitches a little in discomfort at the other man's reference to 'flashing the symbol'. It's not...like that.]

I'm happy to assist, of course.

[Point is, if you show them your symbol, he won't have to flash anybody with anything. >:D]

Excellent. Lead the way before I get arrested for indecentcy or something. Everybody else seems to think I fucking chose to be dragged here while I was getting out of the shower, I doubt cops would give me any benefit of the doubt. And my insurance carrier probably doesn't work here. Is crime insurance free with the symbols too?

[Better not to talk about flashing at all!]

Crime insurance? I've never heard of that.

[Ky does straighten a little, taking on a slightly more formal bearing.]

There is the Defense Force here to protect you, however. We take on the role of both an army and a police force.

[what? I'm just talking about showing your symbol for the purpose of receiving goods. Get you mind out of the gutter, Ky.]

It's something they have back where I come from. Ever hear of a govenrment making it illegal to operate a vehicle without insurance, in case you get in an accident? In The City we have mandated crime insurance in case you ever are the victim of a crime. The money goes to the police precincts. It's pretty much a protection racket for the boys in blue. Don't pay your insurance and not only will they refuse to investigate crimes against you, but you'll have a warrent out for you too.

[His attitude changes a bit when hearing about the defense force, however. He's seen martial law too many times to be comfortable with it, even in the best circumstances.]

Oh, that's always a lovely combination. Tell me, where does this "Defense Force" derive its power, its right to enforce the rules?

I... Vehicles aren't designed to be operated by a single person, but I don't think insurance would help.

[Ky's world has airships, not cars, and the airships were large, mostly used for army and official uses, or transport of people far distances, a little like airplanes. There was nothing preventing an individual owning one, beyond the money and the magic to power it. The rest of Spider's point is lost as Ky tries to contemplate that. An airship accident would be bad indeed.]

From the people themselves. We have a leader -- the person who organized it -- and people volunteer to serve on it as their own personal consciences dictate. It's designed mostly to serve if Vatheon is attacked, but I recently received permission from Minato that they could also be used as a sort of police force, when someone is a threat to others.

Vehicles aren't... what? What sort of fucked up reality do you hail from, boy? Nevermind, don't answer that. This.. Minato character, he the one in charge of this thing? I'd like to meet him sometime. You say you only act as a police force if someone is a threat? What's the criteria for that?

[Ky certainly doesn't think that his reality was particularly fucked up. But then, he hadn't really described it very well, had he?]

I'm sure Minato would be happy to meet you. He's very...noble.

It's partly a judgement issue, I suppose. But for the most part we step in when we're asked to, like if an individual requests protection. That sort of thing.

[Nobody thinks their own world is that fucked up, but trust me, at best it's the pot calling the kettle black. Spider is really just making unfounded accusations and jumping to conclusions.]

So you're saying there aren't any laws being enforced, you just use might to put down anybody you think needs to be taken down. I hope that judgement thing hasn't been a problem.

Ah!

[ Ky brightens perceptibly, his face taking on the attitude of someone with a cause. ]

So far it hasn't been, but I do agree that a legislative and judicial branch would greatly help our efforts to make things fair for everyone. For the most part, it's been more a problem of us not getting there in time or taking action fast enough, more than anything else.

Checks and balances only work when they aren't too busy helping eachother jerk off to realize that they were put there to serve the rest of us, not just themselves. You honestly don't have that bad of a system here, assuming you don't have to worry about some sort of coup. Anything more complex and you run the risk of attracting them.

[...Now whose thoughts are being inappropriate! Ky's more than a little put off by the metaphor Spider is making use of.]

I don't think that the threat of a coup is sufficient reason not to pursue justice to the best of our abilities. What we have now here works to some degree, yes, but there's also significant room for improvement.

[ You're implying that there's ever a moment where Spider's thoughts are appropriate.]

...Alright. In case it isn't apparent, I've seen a lot of injustice in my time. The majority of it comes from governments, military, and police. You seem to have a good head on you, and if the rest of your defense force has thought this stuff out as well as you then we shouldn't have any problems. I actually respect you a bit, Mr. Kiske, so I'm going to give you a friendly warning. It's my job to expose corruption and evil. If your defense force does have any problems, I will make damn sure it comes to light. I hope you're a fan of freedom of press.

[Ky focuses all of his earnestness and youthful surety that everything will turn out on Spider.]

If there are any problems, I would be delighted for you to seek them out. The more people we have looking for them, the more likely we will be able to find them and root them out. While I trust Minato and the other people involved, all that I can hope that means is that you won't find anything. If you do find a problem, please, do inform me, as well as anyone else you would find it necessary to. My own world has injustices of its own, and I am aware of the importance of investigating those.

[Even when they manifest in his superior officers, and investigating becomes a much trickier proposition.]

Good. I don't believe I properly introduced myself. I'm a Journalist. I make it my job to spread the Truth, preferably the uncomfortable variety that evil bastards and corrupt agencies would prefer to be left secret. If there's something improper going on, it'll be in the papers, or whatever equivalent broadcasting mechanism I can get here is. I'll remember you though. If there's something going on with your forces, I'll let you know directly. Maybe even before I go public, depending on the situation.

Thank you. If nothing else, these things are often easier to investigate and prove before people are aware that they're suspected. It would make it easier for us to deal with.

But of course you're not obligated to such courtesy. It would simply be appreciated, if it's possible.

It'll depend on the specific situation, but I guess I can trust you. Where I come from that is an incredibly rare quality for law enforcement.

[An open smile.]

Then trust me to help get you some clothes, before anything else happens.

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trust_the_fuckhead - 2012-07-05 15:56 (UTC) - Expand

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Enter the Spider

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